


Master and Crusader

by shadowglove88



Series: Master And... Series [6]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Age Difference, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Age Changes, Alternate Universe - Culturally Encouraged Sexual Deviance, Alternate Universe - Demons, Alternate Universe - Role Reversal, Alternate Universe - Succubi & Incubi, Alternate Universe - War, Anal Play, Anal Sex, Anal Teasing, Aphrodisiacs, Barbed Penis, Bath Sex, Bathroom Sex, Bathtub Sex, Bathtubs, Beast Mode Sex, Begging, Big Cock Small Hole, Biting, Blood, Blood As Lube, Blood Drinking, Blood Kink, Blood Magic, Blow Jobs, Bossy Bottom Arthur, Bottom Arthur, Bottom Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Bottom Merlin, Bubble Bath, Butt Plugs, Cambion, Chair Sex, Claiming, Claiming Bites, Claiming Scratches, Cock Rings, Cock Slut, Cock Worship, Come Eating, Come Inflation, Come Marking, Come Swallowing, Come as Lube, Coming Untouched, Court Sorcerer Merlin, Creampie, Crossdressing, Crossdressing Kink, Dark, Dark Arthur, Dark Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Dark Merlin, Dark Past, Death Threats, Declarations Of Love, Deepthroating, Deliberate Provocation, Demon Anatomy, Demon Blood, Demon Mate, Demon Sex, Demon cock, Demon/Human Relationships, Demon/Human Sex, Demonic Anatomy, Demons, Desire for Mpreg, Desperate For Cock, Desperate for Anal, Desperate to be Penetrated, Dick Tummy, Dirty Talk, Dirty Thoughts, Dom/sub, Dom/sub Undertones, Dominant Bottom, Dominant Merlin, Dream Sex, Dry Orgasm, Dubious Consent, Dubious Consent Due To Identity Issues, Dubious Ethics, Dubious Morality, Dubiously Consensual Blow Jobs, Emotional Hurt, Emotional Sex, Everyone Is Gay, Extremely Dubious Consent, F/M, Face Slapping, Falling In Love, Feminization, Finger Sucking, First Time Blow Jobs, First Time Bottoming, Foot Fetish, Forced Orgasm, Foursome - M/M/M/M(agic), Frottage, Gay, Gay Breeding, Gay Concubine, Gay Sex, Gay Society, Hair-pulling, Hot Sex, Hurt Merlin, Identity Issues, Idiots in Love, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-Con (Past), Interspecies Relationship(s), Interspecies Romance, Interspecies Sex, Kinky, Kissing, Knotting, Licking own cum, Light Masochism, Light Sadism, Literal Inner Demon, Love Bites, Lust, M/M, Magic, Magic/Man, Magical Tattoos, Makeup Sex, Making Up, Marriage Proposal, Master/Pet, Master/Slave, Masturbation, Masturbation in Bathroom, Mates, Mating Bites, Mating Bond, Men Crying, Mental Instability, Mental communication, Mind Meld, Mindfuck, Minor Violence, Mistaken Identity, Multi, Multiple Orgasms, Multiple Partners, Nipple Licking, Nipple Play, Nipples, Obedience, Older Man/Younger Man, Older Merlin, One-Sided Attraction (Percival to Guinevere), Oral Sex, Orgasm Control, Orgasm Delay, Orgasm Delay/Denial, Orgy, Outdoor Sex, Past Abuse, Past Rape/Non-con, Past Sexual Abuse, Penis Size, Perversion, Pheromones, Possessive Behavior, Possessive Sex, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Praise Kink, Prostate Milking, Protective Arthur, Provocation, Psychic Bond, Psychological Torture, Public Display of Affection, Public Hand Jobs, Public Sex, Rape Aftermath, Rape/Non-con Elements, Reconciliation Sex, Revelations, Rough Kissing, Rough Oral Sex, Rough Sex, Rutting, Scratching, Seduction to the Dark Side, Seeding, Self-Denial, Self-Hatred, Self-Lubrication, Self-Sacrifice, Semi-Public Sex, Sex, Sex Magic, Sex Toys, Sexplaining, Sexual Dominance, Sexual Fantasy, Sexually Aggressive Arthur Pendragon, Sexually Dominant Bottom, Size Difference, Size Kink, Slap Slap Kiss, Slapping, Sweet/Hot, Switching, Threats of Violence, Threesome - M/M/M, Threesome - M/M/M(agic), Tied Hands, Top Merlin, Topping from the Bottom, Transformation, True Form Sex, Twisted and Fluffy Feelings, Unsafe Sex, Verbal Descriptions, Verbal seduction, Verbally Dominant Arthur, Victim Blaming, Voyeurism, War, Weird Ass Trials, Younger Arthur, belly bulge, dubious consent due to magic, implied/referenced abuse (past), kind of, magic sex, magical cock ring, magically enhanced sex, monster cock, nipple sucking, sex pheromones, sex visions, staking claim, voyeur Arthur Pendragon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-30
Updated: 2018-10-07
Packaged: 2019-07-20 21:00:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 62,606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16145405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shadowglove88/pseuds/shadowglove88
Summary: Merlin, Arthur, Lord Percival, Sir Elyan and Sir Leon set off on a secret mission to find and claim the ultimate weapon for Mercia and the war. They knew they would come up against powerful magic, but they never suspected the odd tests would so horribly overwhelm and weaken an already drained Merlin.They also did not expect the horrors happening at Camelot's hand, which only prove to them just how necessary it is that they do not fail in this crusade.With Cassius' warning ringing in his ears, Arthur does what he must to ensure Merlin survives the quest.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> In some senses this is the biggest departure from the original series, and will contain Merlin/Arthur/Other.
> 
> As always, you have been warned.

 

It was imperative that their mission be kept a secret. Just because Joffrey had been discovered as the traitor didn't mean that there weren't other eyes and ears working for their enemy in the castle, and that was why everyone had been told untruths about where the knights and sorcerer were while they were out on their crusade. Lord Percival was supposedly returning toCenred’s old capital to handle an issue that had cropped up there. Sir Elyan and Sir Leon were supposedly journeying to Caerleon to speak with Gwaine's father. Arthur, it was said, was unwell and Cassius was playing along with the story that Arthur was being kept in quarantine. Merlin, according to the rumor, was isolating himself in one of the small villages surrounding the Mercian castle in an effort to strengthen himself by indulging on the pleasures the village could afford him since his Consort was unavailable. It had said that, after the confrontation with Valiant, Merlin had made an exception on his monogamy with Arthur.

All in all, it was a believable plot in the sorcerer's mind, and he left everything in Lancelot's hands. He worried about the Queen, about her physical weakness with the pregnancy, but Bayard had married her for a reason, and he knew that Queen Morgana would step up when her kingdom needed it the most. Plus, his magic within her would help him know if she was in trouble and thus he'd be able to help her somewhat, even if not in person, much like how he helped Mordred.

Sitting astride his horse, Merlin and the four knights were all dressed in normal attire, trying to blend in and not bring any attention to themselves. They rode through the woods, heading towards the first marker stone on the map Merlin had enchanted. If they were to find Excalibur and claim it for theirs, they would have to go through certain tests, and it was why he'd brought the knights along. Not only would magic be tested, but physical strengths as well, and he knew that while he could hold his own in physical combat, these other knights were versed it in.

It was a good thing too, because Merlin was much weaker than he’d like to admit. He was doing his best to hide it from everyone, but it was taking him all his might to hide the way his hands shook as they held onto his reigns. To be honest, with how hungry he was right now, Merlin was terrified of the thought of feeding from Arthur. It reminded him too much of what had happened with Freya when he had so much younger. He’d overexerted himself, had tried to deny his need for so long, and then he’d hurt her. He’d hurt her _horribly_. She’d _killed_ herself because of how badly he’d hurt her. And then there was Julius and what had happened to _him_ when the demon had lost control and sucked not his sexually generated life-force, but his soul, completely out of him in one fell swoop. 

Merlin couldn’t hurt Arthur. He wouldn’t allow it. He _had_ to figure some other way of doing this before they started their first task. Honestly, he was relieved for the way Arthur and Sir Leon rode a little behind them and seemed deep in whatever conversation they were having. It meant Merlin didn’t have to worry about Arthur noticing the strain he’d been trying his best to hide ever since he’d sent a good portion of the Mercian Court to the dungeons.

His demon was not in a good shape either. It was just as conflicted as Merlin. It paced up and down, up and down, like a caged lion, snarling and roaring in hunger and yet whimpering and whining at the realization that if it took its mate right now the mate would get hurt. Merlin reminded it of what it had done to Julius, and while the demon had no remorse it became even more unnerved as it thought of Arthur with those terrible, empty black eyes. Merlin reminded it of what it had done to _Freya_ , and the demon was a little more remorseful about _that_ one, since she hadn’t been its mate but the demon _knew_ she had not deserved what had happened to her. The demon sobbed and shook its head and whined at the thought of doing that to the mate, so it just continued pacing back and forth, back and forth. It was only then that Merlin realized he and the demon had the same tactic to try and work off sexual frustration, Merlin would find himself walking the castle while the demon paced within him relentlessly.

Clearly, Merlin was more like his inner demon than he’d ever realized. That thought was terrifying, because that meant Arthur might not even be safe from _him_ , much less his demon!

The demon howled painfully.

Merlin felt suffocated with its agony and brought his hand to his solar plexus, rubbing it slowly, comfortingly.

The demon paused, and then howled brokenly once more while leaning into the touch, whimpering and whining and clearly distressed yet accepting Merlin’s first ever attempt to comfort and understand it instead of condemning, hating, and fearing it.

"I hope my sister is safe at the castle." Sir Elyan, Guinevere's brother, sighed from where he rode up from with Lord Percival. “Considering her relationship with Queen Morgana I am worried she will become a target merely to get to the queen herself. When we were back in Camelot Queen Morgana taught Guinevere to fight so she could protect herself, but I fear that might make her over-confident and get herself killed.”

Lord Percival cleared his throat. “So you know of the nature of your sister’s relationship with Queen Morgana.”

Sir Elyan scoffed at the very question. “Many in Camelot did, they have been together for many years now. At first it was hard for my father and I to accept, but we realized the princess truly loved Gwen and was not using her, so we accepted it, them. Queen Morgana was not so lucky when _her_ father finally found out. It is believed that that was why King Utter so happily threw her at King Bayard, and why he was incredibly flummoxed when Guinevere was not left behind in Camelot when she departed for Mercia, as that is what custom dictates.”

“Why did you not come to ask to become one of the Queen’ Guard when they left with her to Mercia?” Lord Percival asked curiously. “Surely you must have been worried about your sister’s life in a foreign court known for its brutality and proclivities.”

An embarrassed look crossed Sir Elyan’s face. “To be quite honest, Lord Percival, my sister forbade me to, and I knew better than to go against her wishes.”

A confused look crossed the man’s face.

“You only see the sweet, timid, unassuming appearance she portrays to the outside world,” Sir Elyan assured him. “Deep down inside, especially when it comes to Morgana, my sister is _terrifying_.” He then shivered, obviously remembering something he wished he hadn’t. 

“I must be honest with you, Sir Elyan,” Lord Percival announced after a moment’s silence. “Up until very recently I did not know of your sister’s relationship with the Queen.”

“ _How_?” Sir Elyan wanted to know in shock.

Lord Percival continued, as if not having heard that. “And, continuing in this spirit of honesty, I have been fond of your sister since I first met her. She is a rare flower in bloom that many do not appreciate because she is overshadowed by her mistress. But she is ever so lovely and has so kind a heart.” He took in a very deep breath. “Also, I must confide that, even though I know of her relationship with Queen Morgana I have been unable to stop feeling the way I feel for you.”

Sir Elyan pulled his lips into a grim line as he eyed Lord Percival in silence before finally stating: “It would be in your best interest to forget about her, Lord Percival.”

“I understand, and a part of me agrees,” the Mercian Lord admitted wryly, softly. “But another part of me hopes that one day a miracle might occur and she might look upon me fondly as well. And should she do so, I would happily make her my wife.” He looked the knight in his eyes. “And should that miracle present itself, I will come to you for your permission to do so.”

Honestly, Sir Elyan appeared not sure how to handle this. He glanced around at Merlin, behind him to Arthur and Sir Leon, before returning his narrowed eyes on Lord Percival. “You are not the first man to have feelings for Guinevere, Lord Percival, but you _are_ the first one I can explain to _honestly_ why I would not give them permission to court her.” He leaned closer to the much larger man who held a much higher position than him in the Mercian Court, not a bit of intimidation in his dark eyes. “If Guinevere’s heart has not wavered all these years from Queen Morgana, it _never_ will, and if there is anyone I can give my blessing to, it is to the person who holds my sister’s heart.”

There was a mixture of sadness and understanding in Lord Percival’s face as he nodded and looked away.

Sighing, Sir Elyan reached over on his saddled and patted the man on his shoulder. “What about Sefa? She’s pretty, and from what I can see, she does not have anyone.”

Lord Percival shrugged in disinterest. “I am sure she is a sweet girl, and she is very pretty, but she does not hold my heart in her hands like Guinevere does.”

“Well, if you do not reclaim your heart it is going to be very damaged,” Sir Elyan informed him in a no-nonsense sort of way. 

Lord Percival looked forlornly into the distance. "I would treasure her heart."

Utter sympathy filled Sir Elyan’s face yet he didn’t speak anymore, merely shook his head.

The map stuck into the inside of his cap throbbed oddly, forcing Merlin to reach inside and pull it, out, uncurling it to reveal that the first marker stone indicated on the map was now glowing red, unlike the others, which glowed gold. "We will soon be upon the first marker stone. It is most probably only another day or two away, three at the most.”

Arthur shared a look with Sir Leon before he hurried his horse to move besides Merlin and leaned over enough to eye the map. His blue gaze rested on where Merlin’s hand trembled, but he must’ve taken it for the cold because, after a very deep breath, all he asked was: "Any idea as to what we are to expect once we get there?"

"The riddles and clues left by those who hid the Dragonblade are in forms of rhymes, riddles, never clear." Merlin frowned with a shake of his head, wishing he had more to offer them. "But I do know that magic will be important in each test. Just not the central puzzle for them all.” He glanced down to his saddle bag. “That is why I have brought the books with me. I will go over them again and see if I can find something I missed, some sort of hint of what is to come and how to best prepare for it.”

Arthur nodded. "I suppose it is good that we will have a couple of days before we reach the first marker stone." His gaze flittered to Merlin before it went to stare ahead of him. "That way you will have time to... recharge.”

The demon yowled.

Merlin told it to be strong or it would hurt the mate.

The demon hung its head and let out little whimpers yet remained still.

That was the only reason why Merlin was able to force a smile on his face as he put the map away. “You all will need your rest, once we make camp I will spend the night pouring over the books.”

Arthur opened his mouth.

Merlin urged his horse forwards and trotted it over to Lord Percival’s other side, turning to the large man. “Lord Percival, I have heard about the Diamond Falls in Escetia but have never actually been able to see them before. Would you mind telling me about them?”

“Oh, they are Escetia’s—-now _Mercia’s_ —-pride,” Lord Percival exclaimed in obvious pride before starting off on a long monologue regarding the beautiful and famed falls, as Merlin had hoped. His very articulate and verbose description of the magical falls themselves soon turned into a history lesson regarding them, as well as the legends surrounding the Diamond Falls, and by the time he was finally done night was descending on them, forcing them to find a place to make camp for the night.

Oddly enough, the demon went tranquil while listening to Lord Percival speak, and it only encouraged Merlin to continue goading the large man into talking more and more about more things as they set up camp. He purposely kept the man company, kept him engaged, and kept his back to Arthur, who he could feel watching him in silence as they set up camp and started a fire.

“No, those were legends, the water is completely toxic,” Lord Percival answered Merlin’s question as he knelt down by the water’s edge, refilling their water bags while still telling him of the Diamond Falls. “But, oddly enough, the fish itself, if caught and washed very thoroughly, _are_ edible. You will most probably have a little bit of an upset stomach for a couple of days, and you cannot eat of there very often, but the results are worth it.”

“What are the results?” Merlin asked curiously as he got the water for the horses.

Lord Percival opened his mouth to explain.

Arthur’s voice interrupted. “Merlin, I do not think there is enough firewood to last the night.” The invitation was very much clear, and if there had been any doubt, a look towards the large heap of twigs and branches gathered by the fireside would make it incredibly obvious. 

Sir Elyan kept his gaze on the horses he was feeding, but couldn’t hide the amusement on his face.

Lord Percival also looked amused, but his gaze was solely on Arthur in a ‘you are too obvious’ sort of way.

Sir Leon, on the other hand, watched them in intense silence.

Merlin bit back his instinctual response and merely smiled up as obliviously as he could muster as he nodded to the blonde. “Don’t go too far into the woods, and if you run into any trouble, yell.”

A muscle jumped in Arthur’s cheek as his blues glared into the sorcerer’s. “ _Mer_ lin, as your Consort I _demand_ you accompany me.”

“That _really_ isn’t how this Consort thing works.” And yet Merlin passed Lord Percival the watering bags for the horses and obeyed the blonde’s command nonetheless. He honestly felt like someone marching towards his execution than a tryst in the woods with his lover, but even his demon was oddly quiet inside of him, wary, not willing to get too excited. It would seem that Merlin had managed to properly scare the demon for the first time ever by reminding it of what it could unintentionally do to Arthur with its hunger. Despite feeling relieved at that, Merlin also felt a little worried at the demon’s behavior.

It was because of his silent musing about the demon and its behavior that Merlin did not even realize how far they’d gotten from the clearing, how deep they were in the woods, until suddenly he was shoved backwards into a tree, the blow knocking all breath from his lungs, which were in turn swallowed by Arthur as the blonde kissed him hungrily, dirtily.

Merlin gave a struggle, for about a second, and then he lost the battle entirely and turned them around to shove Arthur against the tree, kissing him hungrily as his demon panted in delight and his magic worked to rid them of every bit of clothing. Their cocks pressed hard and throbbing against each other, and when Merlin’s own wetness seeped down and started to slide between them Arthur groaned as he began to thrust between them, rubbing their cocks together, the feeling of which caused him to very visibly break out into goosebumps.

Feeling his prince shiver, swallowing his whimpers, Merlin kissed him deeper, pushed against hims harder, gave their cocks more pressure, more friction, allowing his boy to rut against him needily. By the gods what had this boy done to him that he was both so hungry and desperate yet too fearful to actually hurt him to _do_ anything?

His magic, very much unbidden, latched onto Arthur’s feet and began to creep its way up his legs, inching with open-mouthed kisses upwards, ever upwards, causing the golden youth to sob into Merlin’s mouth and gripped him tighter, his thrusts growing more erratic and uneven. And then it reached his inner thighs and lapped at his entrance.

Arthur bawled into Merlin’s mouth, and the sound was enough for the demon to finally react, forcing the magic to stop teasing that entrance and pierce into the blonde. The demon growled low in its throat at the sound Arthur made as his body was breached by the hot, tingling, pulsating magic.

Feeling how close the prince was, Merlin snatched his lips back from his and turned Arthur around to push him hard against the tree once more, one hand pressing against the back of Arthur’s head, the other reaching around him to grab his cock tightly at the base, using magic to keep the blonde from coming just yet.

" _Merlin_..." Arthur groaned pitifully at the delay of his pleasure yet remained pressed face-first into the tree without any sort of resistance.

The sorcerer pressed hungry kisses up the prince's shoulders, leaving his magic around Arthur’s cock like a ring as his arms encircled the boy, running proprietarily up and down his chest and abdomen, glorying in the whimpers and in the way his muscles danced under his fingertips. "Yes, Little Prince?" His magic lavished that body with warm, golden attention, leaving no part of Arthur without caress. Even the magic deep inside of him was working, vibrating, twisting deep within to reach places not even Merlin's cock would be able to.

Sweat dripped down the side of Arthur's face as his lips parted in a cry when Merlin's magic twisted inside of him against that place he knew drove the boy insane. "What... are you... waiting... for?"

Merlin's magic pierced deeper within, expanding rapidly and exponentially like millions of thick roots branching out to pierce deeper into, lay claim to, and completely - permanently - anchor themselves into the most fertile of soil.

Arthur let out a strangled sound as his grip on the tree tightened. "M-Merlin!"

"Good things comes to those who wait," Merlin teased as he sucked on the skin of Arthur's neck, sure to leave a mark and relishing in the annoyance he knew the prince would display when he figured out later what had been done. "Be patient." His magic encircled Arthur’s cock visibly like a golden, moving glove, which had the blonde letting out a half-choked whimper. It teased him to straining hardness, the boy dripping his pleasure all over the tree, yet the magic still coiled at his base would not allow him to take the plunge into hot white ecstasy until the sorcerer was good and ready to allow it.

“Gods below—I cannot—oh Merlin—not enough!” Arthur was unable to complete his sentences, his voice strained and his eyes wide and wild as he craned his neck as far as he could to look back at Merlin. "I-I want-."

"What do you want?" Merlin pressed himself against the boy he'd grabbed by the hips, his long cock steel as it pressed against the small of the prince's back.

"Oh godssssss..." Arthur groaned, his voice thick and low as he rubbed his ass against the sorcerer. "Give me your cock, Merlin. I want you inside of me!” When Merlin didn’t immediately do so Arthur whined. “ _Merlin_! _Please_!”

“I thought you would ask me to allow you to cum,” Merlin whispered into his neck as he continued to tease that entrance by pressing his cockhead against it, pushing against it, but never enough to push through the tight ring of nerves. “Do you not want to cum, Arthur? Do you not want that? You are so purple right now, and so wet, trembling, clearly you need some release.”

“ _Your cock_ ,” Arthur growled out his order.

His words went straight Merlin's cock, and the sorcerer groaned as his body reacted. His manhood twitched painfully and precum gathered at the tip. His hips gave an instinctive thrust against Arthur’s entrance, _nearly_ piercing him, and both of them groaned at the feeling of their skin sliding against each other.

Gathering himself in his hand, Merlin made as if to finally penetrate the willing, twitching hole, and yet instead of pushing in he trailed his head teasingly around the rim.

"You good for nothing-!" Arthur's voice hitched when the head slipped in only to slip out once more. "I am going to  _kill_  you!"

"You want my cock so badly it makes me burn," Merlin whispered heatedly into the prince's ear as he lined himself up against that hole again. "You make me want to never stop fucking you. To live deep inside of you, to spend the rest of my days hilt deep and thrusting."

" _Master_." That voice was agonized.

"You would like that." Merlin's lips and tongue teased his ear. "You are imagining it right now. Imagining all the places, the situations, and you are dripping at the idea." His laugh was low and pleased as his teeth gained purchase on the outer shell of Arthur's ear and he pressed the head of his cock teasingly against the puckered hole hard enough to make Arthur cry out and yet not enough to actually slip deep inside like they both wanted him to. "I love this contrast in you. One part of you is a noble prince, every bit worthy to be king of Camelot... And yet another part of you wants nothing more than to be on your knees, with my cock in your mouth."

"Someone... is full of himself today." And yet when Arthur cried out as Merlin twisted one of his nipples the sound was sharp and begging.

Merlin whispered words as his eyes flashed gold and then he was deep inside of Arthur, who nearly screamed at the sudden invasion. And yet Merlin didn't move once within, he closed his eyes. 

_The vision appeared of Arthur on a throne, with Merlin seated beneath him and fucking him as the court drew on. In the vision no one even seemed to notice or care that the king was being pierced over and over by the sorcerer's cock or that he cried for more and more as he was thrusted into. To those of this fantasy court the sight was normal. It was expected. It was obvious that to this court Arthur not being fucked by his master would be the truly odd, scandalous,_ **_worrisome_ ** _sight._

Arthur went weak against the tree as he cried out and his ass tightened around Merlin's cock.

_The vision changed to Arthur bent over a stone round table, war plans all around him, his crown eschew on his head as his fingers dug deep into the table's stone. Behind him Merlin pounded into him with a fierceness that wasn't human. It drove the blonde harder and harder against the table, and yet the expression on Arthur's face was pure ecstasy as he begged for more, for Merlin to fuck him harder, for Merlin to fill him with his cum. All around servants carried on normally, lords and knights and sorcerers focused on their assigned tasks while issuing little nods of approval every time Arthur screamed like a whore, and there were scribes jotting down the ways the king had pleased the sorcerer that day while artists drew feverish renditions of the way the king was taken._

Arthur began to move, almost desperately, as he fucked himself on Merlin's cock, his own imaginings visibly driving him wild.

_The vision changed once more to a tent in the middle of the night, the preparations for war visibly heard on the other side of the tent. The lights were low, dimmed candlelight, and there were few commodities. The only things inside that tent were a table upon which war plans were piled, and a bed of furs, upon which Merlin lay. Arthur had him straddled and he moved hurriedly, rapidly, sweat dripping down his flushed face as Merlin took his own throbbing cock in hand and began to torture him in time to the thrusts deep inside. Arthur's voice rose, loudly, as he threw his head back. Surely his voice could be heard to all those outside but he didn't care, screaming for Merlin to fuck him harder._

Merlin didn’t know how much more of this he could take without losing complete control, his demon not only incredibly pleased and desirous to act out these fantasies, but also incredibly awed for some reason.

_The vision changed yet another time to reveal Arthur standing on a balcony, the railing of which was a little more than waist height, causing the young child in his arms to really crane over to peer down at the kingdom, which was Camelot if all the reds all around were to be believed. Arthur had his crown on his head but despite the fact that he looked like he had when Merlin had taken him as a slave, the dark haired kid on his hip definitely proved that at least three or fours years had passed since the war’s end._

This vision made Merlin a little sick and he nearly yanked himself out of Arthur’s mind because he didn’t want to see just how much Arthur clearly wanted to have children. And yet he forced himself to stay inside of it, to remind himself, his demon, of what they would have to allow should Arthur become king of Camelot.

_Behind Arthur appeared Merlin, who had an older child, this one about seven or so, riding his shoulders. Merlin had his own crown despite his attire seeming more like his black warrior outfit with gold and red trimmings added. He came to stand next to Arthur and leaned his head against his, pulling him and the younger kid closer into his arms while the boy on his shoulder held up a wooden sword and brandished it in the air like a king charging into battle. The sight made Merlin and Arthur smirk before Merlin leaned down to kiss Arthur’s lips, whispering something against them that had him blushing in scandal and motioning very subtly towards the kids._

_Merlin’s answer was for his eyes to flash gold, and laughter could be heard behind them as Owain and Roarke appeared. Roarke took the child from Arthur while Owain held his arms open towards the dark haired boy on Merlin’s shoulders, who catapulted off with no worry whatsoever into Owain’s arms, his weight tempered by Merlin’s quickly golden-flashing eyes. Owain shifted two fingers from pointing to his eyes to Arthur and Merlin before he grinned, positioned the older kid on his shoulders, and then trotted off like a horse, causing the eldest prince to cheer and raise his wooden sword in the air once more._

_The door had not yet closed behind those leaving when Arthur was shoved against a wall, Merlin’s lips on his, Merlin’s magic working to pin Arthur’s hands above his head as the sorcerer proved his total dominion over Camelot’s king by starting to rip his clothes right off of him. The courtyard below was in total view of the balcony, knights, sorcerers, pages, servants, people of Camelot going about their daily lives merely had to look up to see what was happening to their king, and some did, nodding happily to themselves or to those they were with, as if just the sight alone was assurance that this would be a good day._

_Merlin gripped Arthur by the hair and tilted his head back, leading the groaning king to the railing, and the second Arthur’s fingers got a grip on the railing Merlin was inside of him, fucking him for all to see. Sure, the railing somewhat hid mostly everything from the waist down, but it was more than obvious to all that their king was being taken by their sorcerer. Even if it wasn’t for the way Merlin sucked and bit and roughly bucked into the king’s bouncing, naked body, the blonde’s slutty moans and groans and begs for more would’ve clued everyone in._

_And then Merlin did the most claiming thing of all, cumming inside of Arthur, burying himself completely inside of him, causing them both to glow with his own shade of gold before he slipped out of the whining, still aching king. Merlin backed away towards the bedroom, smile teasing and finger curled and beckoning as he moved towards the other balcony._

_Arthur, realizing Merlin intended to take him in plain view of_ **_that_ ** _side of the court, groaned in need as he turned and hurried after the sorcerer… but not before Merlin was finally allowed a view of Arthur’s body now that he’d moved away from the railing._

_Arthur’s supple body._

_Arthur’s protruding stomach._

_Those children - those children weren’t just Arthur’s - those children were_ **_theirs_ ** _._

The demon howled.

Merlin nearly did as well, that vision nearly undoing any sense and reason within him. He growled as he began to suck Arthur's neck once more, leaving all sorts of bruises on that skin. His cock was inflamed by Arthur's imaginings, his demon side desperate to win the war just so he could do exactly what it was that Arthur had envisioned - no matter how impossible it was. Both the humanity and the demonic in Merlin wondered deliriously how Arthur could be so perfect for him. So amazing? So... So... There was no word to describe Arthur.

"You make me insane," Merlin snarled as he reached around to trail his nails down Arthur's abs, abs Arthur obviously fantasized being rid of and instead replaced with the arched betrayal of growing life.

The prince's ass twitched and closed around him almost painfully as he arched into the pain.

"You make me want to forget about the war, forget about my obligations." It pissed him off sometimes, a lot of the time actually, but Merlin couldn't stop himself, was helpless to restrain his desires around Arthur, and it was only getting worse. "I want to take you away and find a cave, and never leave your body ever again. I want to fuck you on the ground, against the wall, I want you to ride me and watch your cock shake while you do."

Arthur tried to say something but all that came out was a choked whimper.

Finally Merlin began to move as well, to meet Arthur's thrusts with those of his own, and they both groaned at the sensation. “I finally understand my father,” Merlin whispered in harsh, vicious realization. “No matter how impossible it is I would do _anything_ for my seed to take root inside of you, to watch _my_ child growing in your womb.”

“ _Pleassssssseeee_ …!" Arthur finally managed a word as his grip on the tree tightened to the degree that his knuckles went white.

"This ass is mine." Merlin fucked into Arthur harder and harder with a vengeance as he sucked more and more bruises onto that golden skin. "This neck is mine." He ignored Arthur's garbled attempt at speech that only came out as a wordless cry. "This cock is definitely mine." One hand encircled Arthur's manhood, taking over from the magic, and at the first touch Arthur arched and let out an impassioned cry as the magic around the base of his cock was finally removed. “I want _this_ ,” Merlin snarled as he rubbed Arthur’s stomach roughly with his freehand, “to be a fertile womb **_that is_** **_mine_ ** ."

“ _Master_!" Arthur fucked himself harder and harder against Merlin as his cock erupted with violent spasms that rippled visibly throughout Arthur’s body. “ _Please_ ,” he begged desperately. “ _I only want a child if it’s with you_.”

The demon went desperate, chills raising up and down its spine at its mate’s plea as it howled and yowled and scratched and bit.

“ ** _Gods below_** …” Merlin pressed his forehead hard into the boy's shoulder as the feeling of Arthur's ass spasming around him forced his own orgasm from him violently and unexpectedly. He managed maybe two more thrusts before he was buried deep inside of the blonde and filled him with his seed.

Arthur panted, clearly out of breath, before he lowered his hand to the one Merlin had on his cock, which was still semi-hard. "I want more. As your Consort I demand _more_.”

Merlin smiled into the boy's back as Arthur's hand covered his and began to manipulate him into moving over his cock once more, bringing it to full-mast in enviable time. "You are such a naughty boy, my Little Prince." He pressed a kiss to Arthur's shoulder as his own cock grew within the eager blonde. "So wanton." He kissed his way up that abused neck. "My eager little slut."

Arthur's cock twitched in his hand as the prince let out a whimper.

"I love how much you love my cock," Merlin whispered heatedly into the boy's ear. "I love those looks you give me when you think no one's looking. Those looks that tell me how much you want me back inside of you and you are frustrated that others are around." His chuckle was dark and sinister. "And how jealous you get? It intoxicates me."

"You... You really are full of yourself today, Master.” And yet Arthur's voice was tinged with amusement and tenderness as he leaned back against Merlin. "I think... I think the real slut here is you. I am not the one who... slept with half of Albion."

Merlin grinned. "True."

Some of Arthur's amusement disappeared.

"But when I am with you I see no other."

Arthur's eyes closed and his lips parted in a whimper as his cock throbbed harder and harder. "Yes... Well... **_You_** are  ** _mine_**. Your body is **_mine_**. Your cock is **_mine_.** Your seed **_mine_**. Your **_love_** is **_mine_**.” He groaned in heart-filled contentment. “Because whether you understand it or not, my mate, you **love** me, you love me so **fiercely** you are hurting yourself for me. You are refusing to feed from others and yet you’re still refusing to feed from _me_ unless I bully you into it because you’re scared that you’ll do to me what you did to Julius Borden.”

Merlin’s eyes widened and he nearly stopped thrusting, but his body and the demon, had a mind of its own, so even though he was shocked stiff his hips still thrust inside of the prince. “How—-?”

“Merlin, you’ve been pale, flinching, and _shaking_ ever since Mercia,” Arthur whispered back tenderly, worriedly. “And the very few times you allowed yourself to look at me your demon stared through your eyes in both feverish desire and terrifying fear.”

Merlin gulped.

The _demon_ gulped.

Both were very shocked at Arthur being able to see through Merlin to the demon inside of him _so clearly_.

“I do not know whether it is the magic of being your Consort tying us which makes—or whether it is the obvious fact that you love me so much you are depleting yourself—but I—Merlin, I can _feel_ your love so tightly wrapped around me it is as physical as you and your magic.” Arthur trembled, his voice awed. “One day you will understand how much you love me and it will no doubt terrify you, but until then, I do not need to hear the words because I _feel_ your love wrapped so tightly around me I still need some time to recover from the magnitude of it myself.”

The demon purred, urging Merlin’s thrusts to go deeper, to reward the mate and give him exquisite pleasure.

Merlin eagerly heeded the demon’s command and not only deepened his thrusts but shifted his hips to find that spot within Arthur he had memorized by now, each thrust rubbing against that special place inside of his golden prince while magic sucked and licked and massaged it as well, concentrating all its efforts on that finite area which…

"Merlin!" Arthur was cumming again, and this time Merlin could control himself, could fuck his Consort through the orgasm and torture him further, causing the blonde to shiver and twitch and be so utterly fuckable Merlin was truly worried he and the demon kill the boy by never ever pulling out ever again.

And yet, even as he worried about that, Merlin’s magic picked up on something, and the sorcerer frowned as he immediately pulled out of Arthur to instead look around them with unease.

The blonde leaned hard against the tree and shivered from aftershocks, not seeming to notice Merlin or his behavior at all.

The sorcerer looked around him, alert and wary yet not sure what he'd sensed or if it truly had been a threat. But whatever it was, it'd triggered an awareness from his magic and with that sort of reaction from it Merlin knew better than to allow himself to be distracted, no matter how much he wanted to. His demon was also alert as well, which only confirmed to Merlin now was not the time to tarry out in the open away from their allies.

Somehow, he was able to calm himself despite the fact that he had yet to find his own aching release. HIs demon wasn’t readied for an attack, was merely alert and intrigued, and while that should be calming, Merlin wanted to return to camp should anything happen so they could face it with the other knights. Just because they had yet to make it to the first marker stone and go up against their first task did _not_ mean there weren’t other dangers lurking in the darkness of the woods.

With his demon in surprising agreement, the creature more than aware of howdisgustingly weak they both were due to lack of replenishment of the stores of energy they’d used up in Mercia, Merlin turned to face his mate. “We should go back to camp."

"What, have I tired you out, old man?"

Merlin's lips curled in a smirk as he leaned a hand against the bark over Arthur’s head, leaning in threateningly. "Who are you calling old man?"

"You," the cheeky brat smirked as he turned to face Merlin and leaned back against the tree, his abs scratched from Merlin's previous ministrations. He was clearly far from threatened, in fact, his eyes were darker in arousal, as if the threat turned him on.

The sorcerer moved on instinct and ran his hand over the deep scratches, healing them immediately despite the fact that they turned him on, and that by doing so he was using up more energy that he did not have at the moment.

At the mere touch Arthur visibly began to harden further.

Merlin watched in fascination before he cleared his throat and looked away as he reached for his trousers.

"Wait..." Arthur's face shifted oddly. "You were not actually serious when you meant we should return to camp, were you?"

"I was very serious." Merlin kept his magic alert and yet still couldn't sense anything around them. Whatever his magic and demon had picked up on was now gone, but that did not mean that it might not return. “The others will be wondering where we are."

"The others know where we are and what we're doing." Arthur's face hardened. "You are never satiated this quickly, and given just how desperately you are in need of feeding it is impossible that this even _begun_ to help replenish your empty stores of energy.” His expression darkened. "You did not even find completion that last time, only I did!"

"I have spoiled you too much," Merlin teased with a quick kiss to his forehead. "You are too used to being played with nonstop until morning." He pushed away, picked up Arthur's clothes, and threw them to him. "You need your rest for tomorrow, Consort, and so do I."

Arthur clutched as his clothes, eyes narrowed. "You also need to recharge."

"I am charged enough."

"That could not have been enough." Arthur's eyes were narrowed. “I know you’re afraid of what feeding too much will do to me when you’re in a weakened state like this, but I am your Consort and I need to do what I can to help you. I will _not_ let you die, idiot sorcerer, because you started this quest so incredibly below your normal energy levels. I am your Consort. This is my right and duty to attend to.”

Distracted for a moment by that, Merlin turned to face Arthur curiously. “While your devotion to your duty is very humbling, Arthur, I have a duty as well, and that duty _is to you_. You are not just some _hole_ I use, or some vessel whose sexual energy I merely use to feed off of. You are _my Consort_. You are _mine_ , you are an _extension_ of me, you are my most precious existence. And I will _never_ put you in danger like you are asking me to.” He could see the rebellion on that face and pushed on, returning to Arthur’s side to cup his face and force those beautiful, beloved, defiant eyes up to meet his. “I would never forgive myself if these eyes of yours ever turned empty black.” He leaned down, and Arthur only barely managed to close his eyes before Merlin pressed reverent kisses to each eyelid before pressing their foreheads together. “You say I love you, and I do not know if that is true as I have never felt love since the demon awoke, but I _do_ know that whatever I feel for you, it is all-consuming, suffocating, beautiful and terrifying.”

Arthur reached up to hold his wrists yet did not seem to want to pull Merlin’s hands from his face, merely wanted to be touching him in some way.

“You say you feel my feelings for you physically.” He could not understand that at all, but he hoped it was true, because maybe then Arthur would be as terrified of Merlin’s feelings as Merlin was himself. “I went insane when I lost you, Arthur, and that was before we were bonded. Imagine these feelings of mine should I lose you, and for so selfish a reason as my own weakness and hunger.”

Arthur was shivering violently, but he didn’t smell afraid or even aroused. Perhaps he was doing as Merlin said, imagining that tangible, living, suffocating thing that Merlin could not control or name, feel it twisting around Arthur like a snake — imagining it should Merlin lose him.

“Not only will I not survive losing you a second time, Arthur, but I fear I will take this world with me,” Merlin whispered hoarsely, harshly.

In seconds Arthur clawed at him, bringing him down in a deep, desperate kiss, whimpering: “ _My Master_ ,” against his lips as his arms wrapped around Merlin’s neck, drawing him even closer. “My foolish, stubborn, stupid, hard-headed, protective, _beloved Master_.” He licked Merlin’s lips. “My Master. My Mate. My Merlin.”

Merlin groaned into those lips as he forgot, even if for a second, that this was not smart, and buried his hands into Arthur’s hair, clenching fistfuls of those thick, silky gold locks.

There was that awareness again, but it was gone just as quickly as it'd appeared.

It was enough though, and Merlin pulled away, his eyes narrowed on the dark scenery around them while magicking his clothes on. "Put your clothes on, Arthur.” Because he was so intent on the surroundings, he failed to see Arthur's dark look as he yanked on his own clothes.

“You might be prepared to do what you feel is necessary in order to protect me, Merlin, but you seem not to realize that you are _not_ the only one who went insane when we were parted. I not only thought I’d lost you, but I thought I’d gotten you _killed_.”

The sorcerer turned to look at his Consort in surprise at the vehemence in that voice.

“ _I_ will not lose you, Merlin,” Arthur hissed in clear threat as he tugged on his trousers. “I will do _whatever_ I need to to make sure you survive this quest, this war, and anything other obstacle we face.  **_Whatever._ ** **I** will not lose **you** again. So beware.” 

Despite clearly being threatened, Merlin’s lips curled in tender regard as his magic finished clothing the prince. He held his hand out to Arthur, and bit his bottom lip at the ‘don’t underestimate me’ look Arthur clearly shot him before grabbing the hand and beginning to drag him towards the camp. But Merlin’s smile disappeared when he noticed Sir Leon, Sir Elyan, and Lord Percival standing with their gazes in the opposite direction, swords in their hands and stance clearly defensive.

Stepping out into the clearing, Merlin and Arthur drew closer to the knights and lord, the blonde drawing his own sword and asking: “What is it?”

“There is something out there,” Sir Elyan responded softly.

Merlin searched out but couldn’t feel what he’d felt earlier. Whatever this was, it was something else.

Twigs cracked, a voice whispered in fear, and then a slender figure emerged from the darkness, a girl no older than twelve. Bruises and dirt covered her face, her hair dirty and tangled, and her clothes were torn, worn, and covered in dried blood. Her clothes were far too thin for the chill of the night, but her trembling was clearly more from fear than anything else. The worried whispers behind her in the bushes proved she was not the only one there.

Arthur’s sword slowly lowered to the ground.

Merlin recognized the look of fear in that girl’s eyes as she stared at the large men, could remember that feeling all too well, and even his demon understood when Merlin let go of Arthur’s hand and slowly eased around the knights. “Put your swords down.”

“It could be an ambush and they are using her to lower our defenses,” Sir Elyan declared.

“ _Lower_ them,” Arthur ordered.

Merlin didn’t look to see whether the men had done as told, he took a few more steps towards the girl, and when she looked around to flee he stopped and lowered to his knees to make his height less terrifying to her. “You do not have to fear us. We will not hurt you.” He could see the desire to believe him yet the fear that he was lying cross the child’s face. “We have food, water, and a fire here. You and those with you are welcome to it and to the protection our swords would provide.”

The girl looked from him to the men behind her, clearly still not sure but wanting to believe. 

The bushes behind her moved and a younger boy, around eight, hurried up behind her. He was in a similar state to her, dirty from days without bathing and what seemed to be soot.

“I told you to stay back, Liam!” The girl whispered in fear.

“We’re _hungry_ , Birdie,” the child cried. “They said they have _food_. We haven’t eaten in _days_!”

The girl still looked terrified.

Merlin’s magic searched the forest behind them, finding more children and youth, far too many, all in grave condition, terrified, hungry, alone. He took in a deep breath to hide the anger in him. “Do you know about sorcerers, Birdie?” When the girl turned to look at him once more and nodded, Merlin conjured a ball of light in his hands, awing them. “Then you know that when we make an oath we are forced to keep it.” His eyes met hers. “I _swear_ to you that we will not harm you or the other children. Let us help you.”

Tears filled the girl’s eyes as she hiccuped a sob in relief and nodded her head desperately. “ _Please_.”

Liam hurried passed Merlin, headed towards the fire, clearly freezing and starving. 

Merlin kept his hand out towards Birdie, who placed her trembling hand in his before throwing herself at him and sobbing, clearly having had to be strong for the others for far too long. Merlin rubbed her back soothingly while motioning to the bushes for the rest to emerge, which they did slowly, worriedly, like feral, terrified animals. None were older than Birdie, most of them around Liam’s age, some a little younger even. There were about ten or so children (twelve counting Birdie and Liam), all terrified, dirty, bruised and cold.

Gulping back emotion, Merlin gave them an encouraging smile and motioned them to the fire. The children stared between Birdie and Liam (the latter of which was drinking very thirstily from one of the containers of water Lord Percival had handed him) and little by little they hurried towards the fire. Sir Elyan returned to the food they had been in the middle of preparing, using up the rations that should’ve lasted them much longer to make enough for everyone. Sir Leon gathered the blankets they would’ve slept on and spread them over the group of children. Arthur was staring at the children in the same mute horror Merlin was trying to fight. His gaze then shifted onto Merlin and the sorcerer could see the same questions he had there.

Finally leading Birdie to the campfire, Merlin helped settle her down with the other children while Arthur went and very visibly took point standing guard at the edge of the camp. Little by little they were able to get the story out of the eldest of the group, and the story she told made the men cold all over.

“Camelot are taking children to hold as hostages to force their parents to fight in the war,” Lord Percival whispered in utter disbelief. “I do not understand it though. The alliances are already formed. Why would they need this measure to assure obedience?”

Birdie’s eyes widened in absolute shock. “Do you not know?”

“Not know _what_?” Sir Leon asked with narrowed eyes.

The children all shared looks before Birdie spoke once more. “The alliance is _dead_.”

“ _What_?” Sir Elyan gasped.

Arthur must’ve heard that because he looked back at them in as much shock as Merlin knew he must feel.

“The King of C-Camelot _k-k-killed_ the kings of the alliance,” Birdie responded with a soft voice. “His _monster_ killed them and _anyone_ who had royal b-blood in them, and then assumed control.”

Shock and horror filled the faces of the men.

“Mercia is the _only_ one that has been attacked but not decimated,” Birdie explained rapidly. “Even though it is supposed to be our enemy the druid said we would be safe if we got to Mercia.”

Merlin’s eyes widened. “ _Druid_?”

Birdie nodded. “It’s how we managed to escape. We were being carted to Camelot in a cell but a small group of druids attacked and set us free. There were other children - they went to try and save them. The leader, h-he showed us the way, s-said they were sending the c-children they h-helped escape this way. H-he s-sent another druid with us but she d-died killing some men who attacked us.”

The children huddled together.

“H-he said Mercia would keep us safe despite the fact that we’re from Amata,” Birdie swore to them, as if fearing they would not believe her. “He said Emrys would protect us.”

Merlin trembled, eyes widening as tears filled them. “Was his name Mordred?”

Birdie’s eyes widened in shock. “ _You know him_?”

Biting back so many different emotions, Merlin nodded, smiling sadly at her. “ _I_ am Emrys.”

The children all looked at him in shock before sniffles and cries began to emerge from them. The relief that had suddenly, completely, washed over them was suffocating. 

It wasn’t that long after that the children went to sleep all around the fire, tired and exhausted from their horrible experiences.

The men, on the other hand, could not sleep. They stood by the fire, voices lowered so as not to disturb the children.

“Sir Elyan, Sir Leon,” Merlin whispered, decided. “You must accompany these children back to the castle. Take my horse so the youngest may ride it. I will ride with Arthur.” His gaze darkened as he rested on the children. “I will send word to Lancelot and Queen Morgana to let them know you are arriving—that we _must_ send out knights to search for any other children led by Mordred’s druid recruits.”

“Of course.” Sir Elyan nodded immediately. “We will be able to restock our supplies as well.”

“Where do we meet up with you once the children are safely delivered to Sir Lancelot?” Sir Leon wanted to know.

Sighing, Merlin pulled out the map and, after a bit of searching, noted a small village close to the first marker. “There. Meet us there and we will continue on.”

“This will delay our journey, but we _cannot_ let those children continue on without protection,” Lord Percival whispered fiercely.

The men shared looks before nodding. Time was of the essence, and there would be those who might think they should merely point the children in the right direction, but those on this crusade could not.

“We will sleep in shifts,” Arthur declared. “I’ll take the first watch.”

“No, I will.” Merlin shook his head. “I will not be able to sleep so let me take it.”

Arthur eyed him before nodding.

The men settled around the fire and nodded off to sleep, knowing the next day would be hectic.

Merlin sat watch, one hand holding on to one of the tomes he’d brought with him, and the other softly caressing Arthur’s head when the boy settled down and rested it on his lap. He was unable to sleep that night and ended up allowing the rest to sleep through their watches.

_Mordred, we have some of the children you sent our way_ , he whispered through the still closed connection between them. _I am so proud of you_.

And with that, the night passed uneventfully.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a bit of remembered past non-con in this chapter. It is a small section in bold close to the end of the chapter for those who wish to skip.

**_Emrys_**.

Due to his all-night watch, and the growing drain he experienced the more magic he did without being able to properly replenish it, Merlin had magically secured himself behind Arthur on his stead. While it also drained him more it was only due to that that when he finally succumbed to sleep with the rocking of the horse, resting his chest against Arthur’s shoulder, that he hadn’t fallen off and had managed to spend most of the day’s journey sleeping, trusting Arthur and Lord Percival to get them to the village.

**_Emrys_**.

He groaned and rubbed his cheek against Arthur but didn’t quite wake up.

**_Emrys, it’s me, your Mordred._ **

Shifting slightly, Merlin’s eyes remained closed but a part of him was awake now, groggy, trying to figure out if this was a dream or if he was really hearing Mordred’s voice. _Mordred?_

A relieved chuckle. **_Yes._**

Merlin snuggled a little more into Arthur’s back, getting more comfortable. _Are you safe? You have to get to—_.

**_—to Mercia. I know. I got your messages. Thank you for warning me, but I was already on my way back home with the druids I’ve managed to recruit, and the children we have been able to steal away from Camelot’s caravans. I am in Mercia now and have spoken to Morgana and Lancelot, who have told me what happened and what you are doing. Also, Lancelot has gone to wait for Leon and Elyan as per your fire message._ **

Merlin was so incredibly relieved that Mordred was back in Mercia. Not only did Morgana need her brother now more than ever, but Merlin’s worry for Mordred had only grown even stronger once he’d realized that not only was Mordred recruiting druids, but leading attacks against Camelot soldiers to save the children. While Merlin had been incredibly proud of the young druid, he’d also been terrified, realizing just how much danger Mordred had been in.

Shy pleasure vibrated. **_I do not know whether to be pleased you were so worried or insulted that you clearly doubted my ability to do this_**.

_Not doubt,_ Merlin promised immediately, truthfully, _concern for all the things that could go wrong. You were captured multiple times, Mordred_.

Sheepishness filtered through immediately. **_You DID help me out of each one of them. Thank you, Emrys. You have saved not only my life, but my sister’s as well during my absence - twice. You will never understand how much that means to me._**

Merlin’s lips pulled in a sleepy smile. _How could I have faced you if I let anything touch even a single strand of hair on that terrifying woman?_

Amused, deep, genuine. **_I will make sure she knows you said that_**. A beat. Hesitation. Less amusement. A stab of pain. **_I will not congratulate you on having acquired a Consort, Emrys._**

His smile disappeared, guilt stabbed deep inside of him, not even having considered that Mordred would most definitely have been informed by his most fateful about all that had happened while he was gone. _I was hoping to talk to you myself when you came back. I did not want you to learn of this from anyone else other than me._

**_Why?_** Pain. Hurt. Resentment. **_Who does it really surprise?_ ** Breathless sadness. ** _I am nothing but the substitute, the spare, as I have been born to be_**.

Anger coiled in Merlin’s stomach as he shook his head. _You were_ ** _never_** _a substitute for Arthur for me and you_ ** _know_** _that. Our relationship might not have been what his and mine is, but it was important to me, it still is. Mordred, you have_ ** _always_** _been a special existence to me, and you always will be. You know that, I know that, and_ ** _Arthur_** _knows that._

Another hesitation. A jolt of hope. A gulp. Happiness and relief fluttered like butterflies in his stomach. A deep breath. **_I have been speaking to Cassius, who has informed me about your - forgive me for saying it this way -_** **_idiotic_ ** **_attitude in regards to feeding_**. **_He is very concerned about you going on this crusade being as depleted of energy as you have allowed yourself to become, and if I am being honest, after hearing his report on you I am very worried as well. Especially given the fact that you are one of the last, surviving members of the Dragonlord family, your family’s history with the Dragonblade is_** **_not_ ** **_a good one. Could you not have hurt_ ** **_his_ ** **_feelings long enough to at least replenish the energy which you had lost? You could die, Emrys. You may think his feelings are worth putting your life in jeopardy but I do not - and will not - agree._ **

Mordred had _never_ come this close to telling Merlin off before _._ The druid had always been respectful to a fault, but while this rant surprised Merlin it made a n uneasy knot unclench in his stomach. Despite everything, Mordred did not hate him - this proved it. 

Merlin smiled, relieved. It was selfish, he knew it, but he did not want to lose the boy’s friendship. He had not been lying when he’d said Mordred was special, always had been, and always would be. _You and Cassius have always been so fond of gossiping with each other._

**_It is not GOSSIPING_**. A deep breath. Embarrassment heated cheeks. A sigh. A shake of the head. A wry smile. **_What I meant to say, Emrys, is I am now safe while you are not. Should you be able to draw from me the way you gave to me previously, please do. I might not be there physically by your side, but I can still protect you in this way - the only way I can while so far away. No matter who is by your side - do not ask me not to worry for you, or to be there for you when you need me - please. Allow me this at least._**

Merlin smiled tenderly, in relief, not for the offer, but what was behind it. _I was worried you would hate me, Mordred._

A gulp. A clenched emotion in the gut. A ragged breath. **_I could never hate you, Emrys. Never you._** A cleared throat. Licked lips. **_I cannot talk much longer, but I will keep the connection active now that I do not have to worry about ambushes while alone and far from help. If you need of me, Emrys, please, I beg of you, take of me._**

_Do not let your guard down, Mordred. Joffrey might be in the dungeons, but that does not mean that he might not have been working with someone else._ Merlin frowned darkly, that worry returning. _Do not survive Camelot’s armies only to be ambushed while in Mercia._

That smile was back. Genuine. A head bowed. **_Other than Morgana, you are the only person in this world who cares whether I live or die, Emrys._** He swallowed down emotion. **_Please, Emrys,_** **_please_ ** **_come back home safely_**.

And with that, Mordred cut the communication, but not before Merlin had felt pain, worry, sadness and longing.

Sighing, Merlin’s smile slipped from his face as he buried it deeper into Arthur’s back, breathing in his scent. The last thing he’d ever wanted to do was hurt Mordred, and yet he’d probably hurt him more than anyone else right now. Guilt clenched at his chest. Even Merlin’s demon was unhappy at this. It was fond of Mordred, knew that Mordred had kept it fed and happy, had looked out for it without asking anything in return, and loyalty like that was not only something the demon had been used to, but it appreciated and valued that. 

_We will find a way to make things right by him somehow._

With that promise, Merlin was dragged back into the darkness.

* * *

 

_When he opened his eyes he wasn’t on the back of Arthur’s horse, instead he found himself in a room he had not been to for a very long time, because every time he did it only reminded him of failure and memories best forgotten. He took in a deep breath and turned, and what he saw filled him with a mixture of anger and fear._

_“_ **_What_ ** _are you doing here?”_

_“I come here often.” His mother didn’t even look up at him as she sat on the edge of the bed and stared down at Hunith’s sleeping face.“I talk to her sometimes.”_

_Confusion mixed in with his anger and fear. “_ **_Why_ ** _?”_

_“Well, we were both abandoned by you,” she responded with ease. “I supposed she is actually the only one who can quite understand how I feel.”_

_“_ **_You_ ** _did that to her, do_ **_not_ ** _trying to play the victim here,” Merlin snarled as he stormed towards them, preferring to keep his gaze on her and not on Hunith. “If you felt remorse you would remove the curse from her.”_

_“Imagine the feelings you have for the Golden Prince, and yet multiply them by tens of millions and you will be_ **_close_ ** _to understanding the feelings I had for your father. Like with your prince, he was for the first one who taught me to - who made me_ **_feel_ ** _.” She clenched her hands in the material of her new translucent black skirt. “Imagine being with Arthur, loving him, having_ **_his child_ ** _… only to realize that while he cared about you he would choose his duty, he would, he would_ **_steal_ ** _your child and give it to_ **_another_ ** _to raise without ever letting that child know you were his true parent! As if your existence - as if your precious feelings -_ **_did not matter_ ** _.”_

_Merlin opened his mouth and yet he couldn’t say anything. For the first time he could find nothing reproachful to say. Inserting himself into his mother’s position brought earth-shattering understanding that left his knees weak and he collapsed hard onto the side of the bed, seated next to both of his mothers._

_“That does not excuse what I did to_ **_you_ ** _,” his mother continued, darkness flickering in her eyes. “But you rejected me so throughly - denied me - called me_ **_a monster._ ** _My own child, who I’d carried within me and given birth to not only did not know who I was, but thought of me as_ **_a monster_ ** _\- you may have_ **_a_ ** _demon, Emrys, but I_ **_am_ ** _a demon. That hurt, that anger, it twisted inside of me at the rejection of the feelings I held for you - for my love - and I did a_ **_terrible_ ** _thing to you. And then afterwards when you were — I waited for you to call out to me, to ask me for help -_ **_but you never did_ ** _. And then I realized the hatred you must have for me if you would not call for me despite what was happening to you, and I could not find any way to help except to—to make sure your father’s_ **_other_ ** _lover—and yet not even that helped for far too long.” Shame made her voice hoarse before she took in a deep breath and rose her gaze to meet his. “I know you hate the part of you that you get from me, but do_ **_not_ ** _let that hatred make you be a fool by taking on this suicide mission while so underfed.”_

_And then he understood what this visit was about. “You know what I’m doing, what I’m trying to accomplish.”_

_“Do you not have enough troubles and danger surrounding you that you would search for yet another?” His mother wanted to know with a frown. “Your Dragonlord magic might not be active in you as yet, but it_ **_is_ ** _deep inside of you, Emrys. Do you not realize what might happen should you actually find the Dragonblade? It was thanks to_ **_that_ ** _accursed sword that your ancestors went from ruling Albion to coming so very close to extinction.” She reached out and gripped his hand tightly. “How do you think it would react to not only the Bestial magic buried inside of you but the Demonic? That which you get from me will_ **_kill you_ ** _.”_

_Usually Merlin would shake off her touch, but he just stared into her eyes, shocked speechless to realize this was not an act. She was scared. She was genuinely scared. She was_ **_shaking_ ** _._

_“Find another way to win the war, do not go after the Dragonblade,” she whispered worriedly. “Let it remain hidden, lost, wherever that accursed blade lies. Let it rot, Emrys.” Her grip tightened as she leaned towards him. “I know you have no love for me, and after how I treated you as a child - allowed you to go through - I understand. But you love_ **_this woman_ ** _.” It clearly pained her to say this. “If only for_ **_this woman_ ** _do not do it.” Her breathing grew more ragged as her gaze lowered to their clutched hands. “If you die, Emrys, who will ever save poor Hunith from the monster that I am?”_

_Merlin’s body moved on its own, his hand lifting to cup his mother’s face and lift it to look at him once more._

_She stared up at him in speechless, wide-eyed, shock and confusion as a single tear slipped free from her left eyes and trailed its way down her cheek to gather in his hand._

* * *

 

“Merlin,” Arthur whispered into his ear, the voice waking him up.

Groaning, Merlin slowly blinked his eyes sleepily. “Yeah?” He then paused, realizing he was blindfolded and lying on a bed and his wrists tied to a sturdy bedframe. “Arthur? What—-?”

“You’ve been sleeping for almost two days,” Arthur whispered against his mouth, straddling Merlin’s naked lap. “I was starting to worry that you would not wake up.”

Had he honestly been asleep that long? He really _was_ running low on his reserves! “Have Sir Leon and Sir Elyan—?”

“Yes, they caught back up with us a little earlier, it’s why I felt like I could risk waking you finally,” Arthur responded soothingly, voice low, huskier than usual. “You need to feed, Master.” He pressed his finger to Merlin’s mouth when he would’ve talked. “I know what you’re worried about, but you need to feed, and I will make sure you do. So shut up and let me give you pleasure.” He slipped off of Merlin’s body and trailed his hands proprietarily down his thighs, parting them for him. “As your Consort I _demand_ it.”

The demon growled happily inside as Arthur shuffled about on the bed, no doubt to prepare himself.

Merlin was a mixture of worry and of excitement. “How many times do I have to tell you that that is not how the whole Consort thing works?” But then Arthur was back, and whatever else Merlin might’ve said was distracted by the tongue teasing his cock. It was soft, a little exploratory, shy. Merlin tried to reach forwards to touch Arthur’s hair but he then remembered his wrists were restrained and gave a little chuckle at this game.

The demon was oddly confused and unsure despite the pleasure it was receiving as Arthur’s lips finally took Merlin’s length. It whimpered, seemed to look up, and then, just as quickly as the confusion and hesitance had appeared it was gone, and the demon was urging Merlin’s hips to move. 

He readily obeyed, slowly fucking into that mouth. Already he could feel his Incubus pheromones seeping out of his pores, and he smiled in approval when Arthur reacted almost instantly, groaning, voice muffled by the cock in his mouth as he hurried his ministrations. The bed starting to shake softly proving he was rubbing himself against the sheets in need.

Arthur gave a little jolt, almost as if he’d been startled, and then he pulled away, causing Merlin to growl, yet that growl faded when he realized _why_ Arthur had stopped. The bed dipped as he stood and then eased his way up higher only to lower with his knees on either side of Merlin’s hips, situating himself over Merlin’s aching manhood. Merlin’s cock was grabbed oddly, and then it was positioned at Arthur’s entrance as slowly Arthur lowered himself against that cockhead.

The ring of nerves was extremely tight, giving much resistance against Merlin’s invasion, so much so that he began to thrust slowly, easing himself little by little against that entrance until finally, _finally_ , he broke through, and them almost as if he was being pushed down by Merlin’s magic, Arthur was forced downwards. As Merlin’s cock worked its way deeper and deeper inside of his lover, eliciting muffled groans, something felt odd, but Merlin could not quite figure out what it was. It was only once Arthur was finally, completely speared on his cock, ass clenching and groans muffled, that Merlin realized why this felt so odd.

The body straddling his lap, trying to grow accustomed to his size, was not Arthur.

Confusion filled him. What was going on? “ _Arthur_?” 

“ _Shhhhhh._ ” Arthur’s voice was coming from the right direction. “It’s okay, Merlin. It’s okay.”

“Arthur, I don’t know how to ask this without really pissing you off if I am wrong,” Merlin groaned as he fought with the instinctual urge to buck up into that body. “But the body I’m inside of does not feel like yours.” He lost the battle for a second and slowly moved inside of the body, eliciting a throaty, incredibly muffled moan. “This does not feel like my Consort.”

There was silence, and then soft footsteps could be heard before lips touched his, the kiss pleased, those lips tasting of his mate. “You can tell the difference.”

“Of course I can,” Merlin whimpered as he fought the desire to thrust up again now that he knew for a fact that the person he was inside of wasn’t the blonde. “Arthur, I do not underst—-.”

“Relax, Merlin, we both know this would not be happening if I did not want it to,” Arthur assured him softly, pressing wet kisses to Merlin’s ear and hair. “You should see his face, love, it’s twisted up because yours is the first cock that’s ever been inside of him.”

Merlin’s cock throbbed and the one on top of him groaned in response, clearly feeling it throbbing inside of him.

“Oh, you liked that…” Arthur chuckled darkly while flicking Merlin’s earlobe with his tongue. “I thought you might. He was so tight I had to lean behind him with my hands on his shoulders and push him down so you’d be able to fully enter him.”

Just the imagery made Merlin twitch slightly, and yet he was still trying to hold himself back. “Arthur, you don’t have to—-.”

Arthur kissed him, shutting his words as his finger found Merlin’s nipple and began to twist it playfully. His Consort pulled away enough to whisper against his lips: “Mate, he’s being _very_ uncooperative and ungrateful.” He flicked his tongue against Merlin’s lips. “ _You_ are not ungrateful, are you, my dark mate?”

The demon inside of Merlin growled low in its throat and forced Merlin’s hips up into the body above him.

“ _Good mate_ ,” Arthur praised against Merlin’s lips. “Listen to the sounds he’s making, mate, listen to his whimpers.”

The demon was making some whimpers of its own, this time pleasured as it forced Merlin’s hips to move faster, harder, seeking the mate’s further praise and approval.

Merlin was still incredibly confused, but what was quickly overpowering his mind was the smell of Arthur’s arousal. He pulled on his wrists, wanting to grab hold of his mate and kiss him viciously, but they were still tied, so he took his frustrations out that hole he was buried inside of.

The stranger nearly tumbled off and was forced to shift position to stay on, unintentionally further spearing himself on Merlin’s cock. He let out a choked cry at the unexpectedly deeper invasion.

Arthur groaned into Merlin’s mouth at the sound.

Merlin’s magic went wild at the sound, shifting, forming behind Arthur physically, wrapping itself around the blonde the way Merlin wanted to right now. Ithardened at Arthur’s back while tearing off his pants, energy forming a perfect replica of Merlin’s cock, which it slipped inside of Arthur with forceful desire the second his ass was bare to it.

The blonde sobbed into Merlin’s mouth as he wrapped his arms around his and held on, his body rocking. Every time Merlin fucked into the sobbing body on top of him his magic fucked into Arthur exactly the same.

The one riding Merlin let out a deep-throated sob as he clenched his ass around Merlin’s cock desperately.

“ ** _Gods below_** ,” Arthur groaned before finally snatched the blindfold from around Merlin’s eyes. “ _Look_ , at him, Master. _Look_ at his _eyes_.”

Merlin tore his lips from Arthur’s in fear that black was starting to seep into the third person’s eyes, and yet when he finally settled his gaze on the one straddling him Merlin credited his demon for the fact that he didn’t stop thrusting despite basically freeing otherwise in shock. Instead of some random villager, as he’d expected, Merlin _knew_ the young man whose head was thrown back and lips parted in breathy pleasure.

Looking incredibly improper, Leon’s eyes were unfocused and his eyelids half closed as he rocked his hips.

And suddenly Merlin realized what Arthur and Leon had been talking about while riding behind the rest of the group. It shocked him to the core that Arthur had been planning this from then. Arthur. Jealous Arthur. Possessive Arthur. How—-why—-? And then Merlin remembered his Consort’s earlier threat about taking care of him no matter how. And he understood. Arthur was _this_ worried about Merlin dying that he’d pushed aside his own jealousy so as to…

Merlin’s heart twisted, and in seconds his magic freed his hands so he could reached for Arthur’s hips and pull him in closer, wrapping his lips around that hardened member.

“ _Merlin_!” Arthur sobbed in desire, clearly overwhelmed as Merlin’s magic continued to thrust into him while Merlin’s lips and tongue worshipped his cock. He ran his fingers through Merlin’s hair, caressing the black locks, clenching his ass around the magic inside of him while beginning to thrust inside of Merlin’s mouth.

Content with Arthur holding his face in place, Merlin let go of the blonde to reach down and grab Leon’s hips. His fingers dug into him, eliciting a hiss of pain, yet he ignored it as he forced Leon down harder on him and then began to gyrate his hips, trying to loosen up the tightness threatening to strangle his cock.

“ _Gods below_!” Leon sobbed as he threw his head back, arching his back. While discomfort at being stretched filtered over his face, his thighs were trying to part further, to impale himself even deeper on Merlin’s cock.

It was a fact not lost on Arthur. “Look at that, Merlin. Leon didn’t think he could do it, told me over and over again that he did not believe he could allow another man to enter him, and yet _look_ at the way he’s trying to get even more of you inside of his slutty hole.”

“ _Nooo_.” Leon shook his head, a flush of embarrassment on his face. “I do not—! _Uhhhhnnnnn_!” His toes curled under him as his cock began to weep with its pleasure. 

“It feels _so_ good, doesn’t it, Leon? It can be _overwhelming_ the first time your body discovers what it was meant for.” Arthur groaned, voice deep with pleasure as his body was rocked between Merlin and his magic. “Just don’t forget _who_ his cock truly belongs to and _who_ is giving you the honor of feeding it.” His eyes narrowed darkly on the knight, looking every bit a prince when he snarled out: “ _Who_ does Merlin belong to, Leon?”

A shiver of dark delight trailed down Merlin’s spine at the utter possessiveness in that tone. Even while doing something like this, Arthur was claiming Merlin completely as his, and it made pleasure and desire and happiness coil in the sorcerer’s core.

“He belongs to—you, P-Prince Arthur!” Leon bit into the meaty pad below his own thumb to try and silence his moans. “You—- _only_ you!”

Arthur’s cock twitched inside Merlin’s mouth, his hips thrusting more erratically, his voice higher and breathier as he declared: “ _Yess_. He’s _mine_.” His breath hitched when Merlin’s magic slipped in under his shirt and latched onto his nipples, sucking onto those rosy nubs as if they were starving and seeking milk. He let out a tortured sound as his ass began to clench desperately around the magic-created cock inside of him. “ _Master_ ….”

Merlin hollowed his cheeks while running his teasing teasingly along Arthur’s undershaft.

His mate sobbed and curled into him, his thrusts less sure now, clearly seeking permission for what Arthur desired.

Merlin’s magic picked up on his Consort’s desires, and both Arthur and Leon sobbed as they were all moved, shifted around so that Merlin now lay with his head hanging off the side of the bed, giving his lover a deeper thrust.

“ _Merlin_!” Arthur cried out in happiness as his cock slid in deeper, aided by Merlin’s magic. “ _OhMerlinOhMerlinOhMerlinOhMerlin!_ ”

Pulsating with desire from his boy’s happiness, Merlin’s magic lifted Leon before it suddenly shoved him back down, _hard_ , ignoring Leon’s loud, unintelligible cries as it continued to lift him nearly off of Merlin’s cock only to slam him forcefully back down, impaling him on the sorcerer’s cock.

Leon screamed, cum spurting violently from his cock as Merlin’s magic continued to use his body roughly, forcing it up and down that rigid pole. His cock bounced with the violent movement, still incredibly hard even after having left his white pleasure all over Merlin’s chest.

Arthur pulled himself free from Merlin’s mouth to lean over and speak into his ear. “ _Mate_ , I’m the only one allowed to mark you with my pleasure.”

Immediately the demon reacted, and in seconds not only had Leon been slammed down hard onto Merlin, but he was shoved forwards, his face inches from the mess he’d left on the sorcerer.

“Leon.” Arthur slipped his cock back into Merlin’s mouth, and then eased himself in deeper. “Don’t dirty what isn’t yours.”

This position allowed Merlin to shift his hold on Leon’s hips and used his grip to hold him still as he began to slowly, very slowly, fuck up into his body.

Leon cried out at the change in pace, his back arching.

“ _Leon_.” Arthur’s voice was a warning as he reached down with one hand and gripped Leon’s hair, forcing his face towards the closest bit of cum and hold him there forcefully.

For a moment the knight hesitated, and then there was a lick just as shy as his first to Merlin’s cock had been, except this time Leon was licking his own cum off of Merlin’s chest.

“ _Good_ ,” Arthur praised, letting go of Leon’s hair to once more slip his fingers caressingly into Merlin’s black locks.

Bolstered, Leon licked diligently while trying to roll his hips into Merlin’s thrusts yet unable to truly do anything but receive each slow invasion with sobs and whimpers.

“Is he clenching around you tightly, Master?” Arthur asked breathlessly. “It looks like he is, with the way he’s arching his back trying to fill himself more. Is he trying to suck you in like a _whore_?”

Considering his mouth was currently busy, Merlin purred, the vibration in his mouth and throat not only answering Arthur, but causing his cock to tremble.

Arthur cried out, curling around Merlin’s head in reaction.

Leon groaned and somehow managed to slip loose of Merlin’s hold enough to jackhammer his hips backwards against that cock.

“ _Look at that_ ** _slut_** ,” Arthur gasped, his own cock pulsating in Merlin’s throat. “How does it feel, Leon?”

“ _So gooooood_ ,” Leon sobbed desperately. “Need more! Please! I need more!” His whole body was trembling and he sounded close to actually, truly, crying as his body writhed. “ _Please_ , Prince Arthur! _Please_! I beg of you!”

Given it was Merlin’s cock inside of him, the sorcerer was darkly amused and fascinated that it was _Arthur_ that Leon was asking permission from for whatever it was that he wanted.

“Why should I let you experience such pleasure from _my_ Master’s cock?” Arthur wanted to know. “You were so ungrateful, Leon. You made me ask and ask and _ask_. You _doubted_ me when I told you how much pleasure _my_ Master’s cock could give you. I nearly had to drag you up here. You do not deserve _anything_ more than what you are already getting.”

“ ** _I am so sorry for doubting you_**!” Leon sobbed, sounding delirious.

Merlin groaned.

Arthur gasped, voice breathy, a little terrified. “M-Merlin—-may I—-?”

The sorcerer’s answer was to let go of Leon, allowing his magic to take control of that once more, and grab Arthur by his hips, pulling him in deeper until Merlin’s own nose was pressed against golden curls. He glanced up at Arthur as best as he could given his cock was down his throat, and when he saw the open-awe and adoration on that face the growl he let out was instinctual.

Immediately Arthur’s face scrunched up as he came, his delectable honey spurting into Merlin’s throat and coating it with its sweetness as it dripped deep inside of him.

At the taste, Merlin could feel his own pleasure coiling, his thrusts harder, faster, his magic working Leon on top of him until suddenly it forced the sobbing knight down harder as Merlin’s cock pierced him the deepest it had, and he came, groaning around Arthur’s cock as he did so.

Leon was shaking and sobbing and writhing, clearly becoming overwhelmed by the pheromones released during Merlin’s own orgasm. He was pleading and begging, for what he never exactly verbalized, but it was obvious in the way he spread himself impossibly wide and rubbed himself against Merlin while fucking back into his thrusts.

Arthur’s orgasm left his knees weak, and he would’ve fallen backwards had Merlin’s magic not formed around him, keeping him comfortably levitated in the air. The blonde groaned as he leaned back, not seeming to notice when his cock slipped out of Merlin’s magic and was immediately covered by magic. He spread his legs, resting his head back, almost looking like he was relaxing on a chair except the chair was fucking into him and forcing his hips up and down with the deepness of its penetration.

Merlin watched his lover openly glorying inhis magic’s violation, and in seconds he’d shifted them around so Leon was on his stomach on the bed, with Merlin on top of him, inside of him, this new position giving him a better view of Arthur’s pleasured face. The sorcerer’s weight pinned the knight into the bed, and he teased Leon, his magic slipping in to curl around Leon, making his every nerve extra sensitive.

Leon screamed under him, trying desperately to move, but he was trapped under Merlin’s weight and magic, leaving him a warm hole for Merlin to fuck at leisure, which the sorcerer did while watching his consort trembling in growing ecstasy.

It was only when he felt the tightness in his own balls that Merlin managed to tear his attention from Arthur and concentrate on himself. Something felt weird. Something was off about the body clenched tightly around him.

And then he realized what it was - he’d cum - but for the first time ever his seed had not been spilt. He was in shock, in awe. Leon’s body was wet and slippery with desire and need, but not one drop of Merlin’s seed was inside of him despite the sorcerer having cum.

Curious, Merlin sped up his thrusts, nibbling on Leon’s ears and whispering dirty threats into the ever-so-proper knight’s ear that had him sobbing and screaming and begging. Merlin’s cock brushed against something in Leon that made him go wild, and he smiled evilly as he attacked that spot, making Leon completely brainless and incoherent, his ass clenching around Merlin, begging for cum seconds before he buried his face into the mattress and screamed as if he were being murdered as he came. Merlin snarled into Leon’s hair and came soon afterwards, burying himself inside the knight, and while pleasure wracked its way through his body, he realized, once again, that his seed was still very much still within him. It would appear that, if it wasn’t Arthur, his body refused to release his seed.

Fascinated by this discovery, Merlin looked back up to Arthur to find the blonde watching them with a mixture of arousal and jealousy.

“Do **not** get too used to this pleasure, Leon,” Arthur threatened, and when Leon didn’t respond his eyes narrowed. “ **Leon**.”

Leon looked up at him hazily. “Yes Prince Arthur?”

“I am _only_ allowing you to touch _My Mate_ so he may be strong enough to do what must be done and survive this crusade,” Arthur warned, his eyes meeting Leon’s. “ _Do. Not._ Get. Used. To. This.” Those eyes darkened. “ **To. Him.** ”

A whimper escaped Leon’s lips but he nodded dutifully. “ _Yes, Prince Arthur_.”

Arthur’s eyes then rose to Merlin’s narrowed, his lips parted—-and then he squeaked when Merlin’s magic moved him, rapidly, shifting him so he levitated over Leon so that Merlin could kiss him. The blonde shivered happily, arranging himself a bit more comfortably while splayed out in the air. He kissed Merlin deeply, hungrily, before whispering against his lips. “Feed, my Mate.”

Merlin’s magic muffled his words so Leon would not hear when he whispered back: “Arthur, I need to be inside of you soon. If I do not cum my balls might just burst.”

The blonde pulled back in confusion. “But I saw you—-.”

Merlin pulled him close again and kissed him languidly. “Despite feeling the pleasure, my balls are tight with the need to release.” He grinned, ridiculously pleased with this new discovery. “It appears as if the only place my body and magic feel worthy of my seed, is deep inside of your womb.”

A tortured groan escaped Arthur’s lips as he took advantage of Merlin’s magic holding him up to pull Merlin further up as well until he was on his knees, slipping him out of Leon’s body. Merlin’s magic seemed to do Arthur’s bidding, taking Leon and lifted him into the air and slipping inside of him seconds before Merlin pushed Arthur back down into the bed and slipped into him.

Leon had been nice and tight but Arthur was paradise.

Merlin groaned, hiding his face in Arthur’s hair as with one thrust, and then two, he found himself already spilling his seed inside of his mate.

Arthur’s body froze, the blonde clearly in utter shock at how just being inside of him had been able to push Merlin over the edge. He then seemed to unfreeze and shifted as best he could under Merlin, wrapping his legs around him to open himself more.

The sorcerer cried out in disbelief that he was _still_ cumming. It was the longest he had ever experienced, his body pushing out all of the seed it had held back before and more into the blonde. “ _ArthurArthurArthurArthurArthurArthur_ …”

Arthur pulled him closer into a searing kiss, one which did not stop until much later, after Leon had been lowered to sleep on the sofa, and Merlin and Arthur fallen asleep as well, just as exhausted, Arthur’s back to Merlin’s chest, Merlin’s arms around him and cock inside of him, Arthur’s stomach slightly bulging from the warmth his lover had filled him with.

* * *

 

After spent another two days in the village, mostly because Merlin was still in desperate need of recharging, and because after the first day Leon was exhausted and had been replaced by two villagers who worked in the inn they were staying at. Like with Leon, Arthur had chosen who it would be and was in total control of the whole situation, and again, Merlin ended up buried inside of his Consort, filling him with all the seed his body had refused to give anyone else, leaving Arthur’s stomach extended slightly from being so overly-filled. Far from being bothered by the sensation, Arthur appeared to glory in the utter fullness.

By the time they made their way towards the first marker stone, Merlin was much stronger than he’d been when he’d left Mercia. He wasn’t at his peak as yet, but honestly this was much better than he’d expected.

“How is the first marker _stone_ a _tree_?” Lord Percival wanted to know as he glanced up at what the map had brought them to.

They stood around the tree, which truly looked like an ordinary tree to the human eye, and yet Merlin could see what the others couldn't. He could see the crystals emerging from the bark, could feel the power that radiated around this tree. He took in a deep breath and turned to the others. "This is it."

Sir Elyan unsheathed his sword. "We are ready."

Merlin's gaze went to Arthur before he turned and faced the tree, palm raised towards it as he began to chant the spell for the first marker stone. His eyes flashed gold and he could feel the power meet his own before a gasp escaped the men behind him and he had a feeling they could see the tree as it really was now. But he didn't allow that to distract him as he felt the shift and suddenly a door appeared in the bark of the large tree. He let a sigh escape as he lowered his hands. "This is it. The first test."

Lord Percival nodded. "Lead on, Grand Court Sorcerer."

Amused by Percival for some reason, Merlin shook his head and opened the door before he stepped inside the darkness. He could feel the others enter behind him, and then the door shut on them, bathing them in unseeing black.

"Is that supposed to happen?" That was from Leon.

Eyes flashing gold, Merlin sent up witchlights around them, lighting the room to show that they were actually within a medium-sized wooden room. Right ahead of them was a wooden pedestal with a large wooden carving of a book on it.

Merlin's eyes narrowed as he moved to the book and noticed the hand prints carved into each page of the book. "These are two right hands. Means two different people." He placed his hand down on one.

Arthur put his hand down on the other.

Nothing.

The prince cleared his throat and pulled away.

Sir Elyan sheathed his sword and came towards them. "Let me try." Just like with Arthur, nothing happened.

Leon came forwards and pulled off his glove, staring down at the carved handprint before placing his on it….

…and suddenly they were not in the wooden room anymore.

Merlin and Leon stared around to find themselves in a vast forest.

Leon quickly put back on his glove and raised his sword high. "Where are the others?"

"They were left behind." Merlin turned to Leon. "This test has chosen you."

Leon stared at him in silence for a moment before letting out a deep breath. "I see. So… what is this test?"

"There are words here." Merlin moved towards a tree with carvings in it. "Behold you come with no invite, and trespass in this place, ahead of you awaits a fight, which will decide your fate."

"And here I was worried it would be ominous."

Merlin sent Leon a little smirk before he ran his fingers over the words and gazed down at a path by his feet. "We need to follow this path."

"Right." Leon nodded and started off ahead before glancing over his shoulder at Merlin with a wry ‘here he go’ kind of smile. "Off to battle then."

Merlin followed at a more sedate pace, eyes narrowed as he tried to feel around them for some sort of magic, but so far he felt nothing and no one.

Suddenly Leon cursed, which was very unlike Leon. Even while in the throes of pleasure he’d never issued one vulgarity, which only made its usage all the more worrisome.

It drew the sorcerer's attention and he hurried forwards before he stopped and cursed as well.

Ahead of them, Sir Elyan awaited.

Merlin looked from one knight to the other.

Leon hesitated, eyes on Sir Elyan but voice low and aimed at Merlin. “Do you think it is really him or a mirage or something which has taken his form?”

Merlin’s magic tried to figure that out. “From here it feels like Sir Elyan himself, but something is obviously wrong.”

“Do not use more than magic you have to for now, Merlin, conserve it.” Leon took in a deep breath before he moved forwards, finally addressing ‘Sir Elyan’. "What is the meaning of this?"

"How far would you go to be free and continue on your journey?" Sir Elyan asked, eyebrow raised. "Would you kill a companion? Because, tis true, only one warrior will leave here with the sorcerer, decide whether it be he or you."

"Who are you?" Merlin couldn't feel magic around Sir Elyan, but he was obviously being possessed or manipulated somehow. The fact that Merlin couldn't sense it made him feel extremely vulnerable and useless.

"I have many names, many old, many new, and the same can be said of you." Sir Elyan smirked as he pointed his sword at Merlin. "Merlin. Emrys. Dragonlord. Son of the Queen. All of them who you are and who you have been."

"What's one of your names then since you know mine so well?" Merlin narrowed his eyes.

Sir Elyan merely smirked before he twisted and threw a dagger at Leon, who barely managed to swing his sword and disrupt its trajectory in time. "Decide young warrior, yourself or your friend, here at this junction, one life will end." And with that Sir Elyan yelled as he attacked Leon.

Merlin raised his palm and yet the second he tried to use magic it was as if someone were choking him. He was blinded by the pain and it drove him to his knees. Images flashed through his mind, all of them too fast for him to truly focus on any of them, and yet they were burned in his mind nonetheless. He fell to his knees as the air constricted in his throat, and for a moment he truly believed that he was going to die.

**_Emrys?_** Mordred's voice was worried in his mind.  ** _Emrys, what is it? What is happening to you?_**

The sorcerer clutched at his throat, mouth opening and closing, and yet he couldn't let anything out. The world seemed to spin around him dizzyingly, and spots danced before his eyes as he felt his strength begin to slip away.

**_EMRYS!_ **

Right when he was about to black out he felt the rush, he felt the presence, felt Mordred. It was as if the boy was wrapping his arms around Merlin, and as he did so suddenly the pain and suffocating agony stopped, and Merlin was able to gasp in deep gulps of air. Mordred's presence disappeared immediately, the link severed for now. Merlin coughed as he pushed up from the ground and turned his gaze towards the fighters to see that Leon had Sir Elyan pinned to the ground, his sword to his throat.

Sir Elyan laughed. "You have chosen."

"Yes." Leon nodded, making sure to keep his blade pressed against Sir Elyan in a way that he could not escape. "I choose the both of us."

Sir Elyan tilted his head to the side. "That was not an option."

"I am making it an option." Leon glared at him. "Sir Elyan and I both will live. Neither of us will have his life forfeit here."

"Only one can leave with the sorcerer." Sir Elyan smirked. "Choose."

Leon turned to look at Merlin, the conflict visible on his face, before it hardened and he turned to Sir Elyan. "We'll both stay. Once Merlin has the sword he'll be able to overcome this magic of yours."

Merlin's eyes widened, not so sure about that. He'd nearly died two seconds ago. Whatever the magic that ruled over these tribulations and trials, it was powerful.

"Maybe that is true, tis a risk you must take, but as I already said, it is your decision to make." Sir Elyan grinned before he turned his gaze on Merlin. "Your acceptance will be needed, and a penalty you should expect, it shall be collected at the marker stone you enter next.”

Turning his gaze from Sir Elyan to Leon, Merlin could see the pleading on his face. The knight did not want to leave, not if it meant having to kill one of his brother in arms. His gaze was begging Merlin to do this for him, and when Merlin nodded, relief completely washed over Leon’s face as he smiled at him in gratitude.

Taking in a deep breath, Merlin turned to Sir Elyan. This was the only way which would give them all a fighting chance to get out of these trials alive. "I accept."

“ _Thank you,_ Merlin.” Leon dropped his weapon and sat down.

Sir Elyan tilted his head. "Surprising empathy towards these humans I've seen, you surprise me, Son of the Queen." And with that, Sir Elyan's eyes rolled in the back of his head and he collapsed on the ground next to Leon, who reached over and checked for a pulse, nodding to Merlin that it was there.

"I could not choose," Leon whispered in apology.

"You did what was right." Merlin clapped the knight on his shoulder and gave him a comforting squeeze.

"What was the purpose of this test?" Leon asked curiously while staring up into Merlin’s face. "I see no gain in it."

"Me neither," Merlin admitted uneasily. "But there's a greater power working here." He turned his gaze back on the knight. "We will come back for you."

“I know.” Leon nodded with a small smile. "Please inform Prince Arthur of my regret for not being able to see this through to the end as I promised.” He cleared his throat. “And for not being able to continue assisting, as I promised I would.”

"He will understand, and approve," Merlin assured him without a doubt. “Sir Elyan is one of his knights as well. The best assistance you could provide right now is the one where you keep him alive.”

Leon merely gave him a small smile before he sighed and ran his hand over his face. "What happens now?"

Merlin sighed. "I do not—." Suddenly he wasn't in the woods anymore, he was once more outside of the crystal tree with Arthur and Lord Percival.

"What happened?" Arthur stepped forwards.

"Sir Leon and Sir Elyan—," Lord Percival began.

"They will not join us the rest of the crusade." Merlin took in a deep breath as he relayed what had happened within the forest to the prince and knight before him.

"Will they be safe in there?" Arthur whispered in visible worry, looking at the panels that Merlin and Leon had touched.

"I do not know," Merlin admitted, and hated not having anything better, or at least reassuring, to tell his worried mate. "But that is why we have to hurry and find the Dragonblade."

"What about this penalty?" Lord Percival wanted to know, far more pragmatic about the situation. "Do you have any idea what it might consist of?"

"No." Merlin shook his head as he hugged himself, a cold chill racing up his spine. "But we have other things to worry about right now."

Lord Percival frowned immediately and took a step towards him. "Grand Court Sorcerer, what is that on your hand?"

Confused, Merlin lifted his hand and his eyes widened when he saw the Gebo rune burnt into the back of his palm. "This must be somehow connected to the first marker stone."

"To show that you passed?" Arthur asked warily.

Merlin didn't know, and that made him uneasy.

* * *

 

"Why did I not feel it?"

Merlin looked up from his marked hand to Arthur as they sat by the fire. Lord Percival had gone to bathe in a nearby lake and had given them some privacy. "Feel what?"

"What was happening to you?" Arthur stared into the fire, his expression highly disturbed, within his hands was a branch which was a little thicker than the others they’d been using to keep the fire going. "You could have been killed in there, Merlin, and I had no idea."

"Why would you have known? How could you have known?" Merlin didn't understand what was going on here.

" _Mordred_  knew." A muscle jumped in Arthur's cheek as he cracked the branchin two and threw both bits into the fire testily before his blue eyes glared up at Merlin. " _He_  helped you."

Ahhhhh. Merlin was starting to see what the actual problem was now. It surprised him that Arthur had felt confident enough to bring others into their bed, yet still clearly had a very huge issue with Mordred. He couldn’t quite understand that, but Merlin recognized that there was much he did not understand when it came to human emotions. “Mordred has my magic in him, that has opened up a bond and connection between us."

" ** _I_** have your magic inside of me."

"Yes, but Arthur, you are not magic."

Arthur flinched as if hit, a shadow passing over his features as he continued to stare into the flames. "I see."

Now Merlin was lost once more. He had a feeling that his explanation had angered the boy but he didn't know why exactly that could be considering that he was merely stating what they all knew. Mordred was a druid, he had magic in his veins, Arthur did not. Or, well, Arthur was not a magic user.

Lord Percival could be heard humming as he drew nearer, which meant they couldn't talk about this further. That didn't mean that Merlin didn't think about it the whole night though. He was silent and barely listened to the conversation Arthur had with his Escetian friend. No, Merlin merely watched Arthur and tried to understand exactly what was wrong and what he could do to fix it.

* * *

 

_"You are far from empowered enough to face these tasks." The Succubus Queen emerged from the woods, dressed in gossamer dress which clung to her body and was nearly translucent in the moonlight as she sat down next to Merlin by the fire. "The first task was the simplest, and you were brought to your knees."_

_Unlike usual, Merlin didn't tell her to leave, he didn't ignore her either. Instead he turned his blues on her. "Who was that?"_

_She smiled brightly at him before she cleared her throat and answered. "You will meet him again before this crusade of yours is over, and your questions will be answered."_

_He nodded and turned his gaze to the fire once more._

_"I am serious when I tell you that you need to feed." She reached out and brushed his dark bangs from his face. "You need to be at your optimum if you expect to get out of these trials alive."_

_"I have never felt so… vulnerable… and powerless… as I did today." Merlin clenched his fists tightly. "I suppose I have gotten used to being one of the most powerful beings present in any given circumstance. It was a slap in the face to realize just how much stronger this person's magic was compared to mine."_

_"You were weak." She raised an eyebrow. "You are still weak." She pursed her lips. "You need to feed more than you have in a very long time. The Prince might have been surprisingly amenable these last couple of days, but you need a whole village if you wish to be close to as equal a footing as possible.”_

_Merlin raised his eyebrow in reluctant amusement. “I think a_ **_whole_ ** _village is a lot, even for me.”_

_“Don’t be ridiculous, a village is child’s play.” His mother rolled her eyes very unreally as she huffed. “I do not just say this for you, Emrys. I say it for the boy as well. Now that the knight he made the arrangement with is gone you are back to only drawing from the princeling, and if you take it all from him it will likely kill him. You know what you have to do."_

_He sighed. “I do know, but I will not do it."_

_"Because of his insecurities?" She glared at him._

_"Because I want to be faithful to him.” Merlin turned to face her. "I know that the idea is preposterous to you, but I want only him. I have slept with the ones he’s brought me because I understand his sacrifice and I need to feed if I am to help find the Dragonblade to save his people and mine - but the only one I_ **_want_ ** _is him.”_

_A muscle jumped in her cheek before she looked away. "I understand better than you could ever believe." She raised her chin. "When I was with your father, I was only with your father." She took in a deep breath. "I know you do not believe me capable of it, that you think I am merely some sort of monster, but I did love him."_

_“Do demons even know what love is?” Merlin asked not as an insult to her, he really wanted to know. “Ever since my demon awoke I have been numb, unable to feel anything but fear or hatred or desire.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “The only time I have felt anything else is with Arthur, but I do not know whether it is love or possessiveness - ownership. I_ **_want_ ** _it to be love, but I do not know if it is.”_

_“You were an ensorcelled waif for a little over a year, Emrys,” his mother whispered with much shame. “I believe you have_ **_that_ ** _to blame for your numbness, not your demon.”_

_He looked away. “How long did you know?”_

_“That it was happening?” She asked softly, not looking at him. “Or that you were ensorcelled?”_

_Merlin covered his face, a flash of Tauren’s face appearing before him. “Please, just go and let me sleep in peace tonight.”_

_"As you wish." She leaned forwards, a near glow radiating from her skin and hair in the moonlight. "But please, Emrys, you need to feed. I understand that you want to be faithful to the prince, but if you want to own the Dragonblade you will need more power than you have right now." She bit her bottom lip. "The druid boy saved you today. He is much more suitable for you than the prince."_

_"I thought you liked Arthur."_

_"I do." She sighed and shook her head. "But I know what you will come up against, and I am afraid that he will be your death." She closed her eyes tightly against the very thought before she finally stood. "But you will not listen to me, you never do." Sadness clouded her features as she turned and disappeared back into the woods._

_Merlin watched her in silence._

_He did not sleep peacefully._

* * *

 

**“Uhn! Uh! Oh! _Merlin_!” The voice was husky with desire in his ear, hands moving, hips burying his length deeper and deeper. “I love you so much. I’ve always loved you. And now you’re mine. MINE.”**

**Merlin gripped the edge of the table and stared at the food he had been trying to eat before he’d been pulled onto that lap. The food was cold now, and Merlin had long ago lost his appetite.**

**“Mine, _mine_ , finally _mine_!” He groaned in a manic tone. “I love you so much, Merlin. You love me too, don’t you? That’s why you’re always so wet and ready for me. You’re mine forever, all mine.” He pulled him in tighter, groaning into his hair. “Tell me you love me, Merlin. Tell me how much you love this.”**

**“I love you,” Merlin said dutifully while staring at his food. “I love this.”**

**He lost control, whispering and kissing and keeping Merlin trapped on his lap. “ _Fucking whore_.” He groaned. “I always knew this was what you wanted, what you needed. I’ll give it to you, just tell me how much you love me and I’ll give it to you. I’m so close, lover. So close.”**

**“I love you, Tauren,” Merlin whispered, cold, numb, and gripped the table tighter when heat gushed inside of him.**

**“I love you, I love you,” he groaned into his hair.**

**Like always, Merlin stared blankly ahead, completely numb inside.**

 

Merlin gasped and jolted up from the ground they were sleeping on. He hurried to his feet and raced to as far as his feet could take him before he collapsed to his knees and doubled over, spewing the little amount of food he’d managed to eat before sleeping. Cold shivers raced up and down his spine despite the sweat that caused everything to cling to his body.

With a self-hating cry he grabbed his hair tightly, a choked sob escaping his lips. The hands gripping his hair were trembling, his whole _body_ was trembling. He wanted to throw up again but there was nothing left to do so.

“ _Merlin_?” A voice asked worriedly from too close behind him.

He flinched in shame that Arthur had seen him like this. “I’m fine, Arthur. Just go back to sleep.”

The blonde was silent before he knelt and wrapped his arms around Merlin’s body, resting his forehead between Merlin’s shoulder-blades. He didn’t say anything, didn’t ask, he just offered silent comfort.

Tears burned in Merlin’s eyes, and he found himself turning to hug Arthur tightly, holding him so closely it must be hard to breathe, but Arthur didn’t complain, merely held on and pressed soft kisses to Merlin’s heart.

If Merlin could love, he’d love Arthur so fiercely it would be terrifying.

 

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

There was a village between the first and second marker stones, and the three weary travelers managed to find rooms in the local inn. They were nothing grand, but the three had been sleeping on the ground for two weeks by now and it was amazing to actually have a real bed to rest on at the end of the day. What was also amazing was having the food they'd feasted on instead of the rations they'd brought with them. Merlin had remained silent throughout the meal with the other travelers, and instead listened to Arthur and Lord Percival as they talked to the others. The men were good at conversing at length and gathering intel from those around them without truly divulging anything about themselves.

“Camelot cannot be trusted,” one of the men at the table behind theirs was telling the man to his right. They were now out of Mercia and in Daira, which was another reason for the need to feel the air around them because while it was not in an alliance with Camelot it had not entered into an alliance with Mercia either.

“And it is terrifying,” the person he was talking to declared. “Now that it has Anglia, Amata, Elmet, Gwynedd, Powys and Rheged as its own they are a massive monster consuming everything in their path.”

“The Blood King and his Hooded Shadow are tearing through Albion, consuming everything in their path,” another hissed in worry, having overheard the conversation and joined in. “Can they even be stopped?”

“What about the Devil’s Hound?” Another wanted to know in a softer voice, glancing around worriedly as he leaned in close to them. “We’ve all heard the rumors of what he was capable of doing. He brought Camelot to its knees once.”

“Also, he is the **only** sorcerer who has gone up against the Hooded Shadow and not only survived, but his kingdom did not fall. They lost their King, but their Queen, their kingdom, still stands.” He cleared his throat. “Clearly he **_does_** have power strong enough to go up against the Hooded Shadow.”

“Then where is the Butcher of Mercia now?” The first one wanted to know. 

“He’s been silent ever since Mercia lost its king,” the second reminded. “There are rumors that he did not give an oath of fealty to the Queen Regent.”

“The rumors were probably right and her child wasn’t the king’s,” a newcomer to the conversation declared. “The King’s Sword is probably waiting for a better monarch to serve. Why fight in a war he has no stakes in?”

“Were there not rumors that the Devil’s Hound was somehow involved with the Exiled Heir of Camelot? The reports are confusing, but they all seem to indicate that those two were in the sort of relationship celebrated in Mercia. I could not have been the only one to hear that?” Yet another person asked, proving that more people than Merlin were listening into the conversation. “Maybe the Devil’s Hound hasn’t given his oath of fealty to the Regent Queen because he wants to back _him_.”

There was a pause before suddenly multiple voices whispered at once. 

“If the Golden Death is backing Prince Arthur’s claim to the throne…” one of the previous voices whispered, taking it in. “Then maybe that is the only thing that will be able to stop the Blood King and his Hooded Shadow.”

“The Blood King and his Hooded Shadow battling the True Heir and his Golden Death in a battle for Camelot, and, in many senses, Albion.” The man who had started the conversation looked awed and a little terrified. “That would be a war worthy of _legends_.”

Merlin raised his eyebrow at that exaggeration. 

"What about you?" The wife of one of the older travelers asked as she leaned slightly over the table between them towards Merlin, drawing his attention away from the other men and onto her now that her husband was enraptured with his conversation with Arthur and Lord Percival.

"I am sorry, I was not paying attention." Merlin turned his gaze on her. "What was the question?"

She smiled as she tilted her head so that she gazed at him through her eyelashes. "Do you find traveling so frequently… lonely?"

Recognizing the flirtation and invitation for what they were, Merlin's lips curled in automatic response. "One finds a way to keep entertained." His gaze slid to the blonde seated besides him - his favorite method of entertainment - in amusement before he returned his blues to the woman.

"Is that so?" Not seeming to get the hint, she leaned in closer in such a way that the front of her gown opened slightly, yet her cleavage was nearly nonexistence so her honor was still maintained. "You will have to teach me these ways."

"I am sure your husband would not approve, milady." Merlin leaned away and took a sip of his drink.

She stared at him in want as she bit her bottom lip and reached out to place her hand on Merlin's. "My husband is a deep sleeper."

Oh, she was far more direct than he'd expected, and Merlin turned to look at her in shock considering her husband sat next to her. But the man must be deaf in that ear (and maybe a little blind?) because he didn't seem to have heard his wife's proposition or seen what she was doing with her hand, and was instead laughing at something Lord Percival had said.

Arthur, though, appeared to have noticed because while he nodded and kept his gaze on the husband, his blues kept darting towards Merlin and the wife.

Merlin lifted the woman's hand to his lips and pressed a chaste kiss to it. “We should all hope for the sort of innocence that allows him to sleep so.” And with that he removed his hand from hers and shifted it to rest on Arthur’s thigh, giving it a little squeeze.

The blonde shifted slightly on the seat before answering a question the husband had apparently asked him. “Nothing that exciting I’m sorry to say. I’ve spent most of my life with a hoe in my hand. It’s where my brother here got all his bulk from.” He slapped Lord Percival’s arm playfully. “Why waste money on an ox when you’ve got him?”

Amusement echoed throughout the table as Arthur successfully distracted them from asking further questions regarding their backgrounds while shifting the talk into a different direction.

It was while Merlin was in mid-swallow of his goblet that he felt it, and choked in surprise, his gaze shifting immediately across the table towards the innocently smiling woman, who acted as if her stocking covered foot was _not_ rubbing against his crotch. Honestly, a part of him was impressed by her brazenness, and, given just how well she was ignoring him while simultaneously rubbing him, it was obvious that this was far from the first time that she’d done something like this. His grip on Arthur’s thigh tightened as he felt himself start to react to her ministrations.

Arthur’s hand subtly lowered under the table to rest over his and squeeze, clearly wondering just what in the world was going on with him.

Merlin discreetly moved Arthur’s hand onto his lap, not far enough to actually touch the foot rubbing him, but close enough that he would feel the vibrations from the movement.

Immediately Arthur froze in understanding, his eyes narrowed and a muscle jumping in his cheek as he very quickly, yet very discreetly, slipped his hand free from Merlin’s and grabbed the woman by her stocking-covered foot.

She squeaked and gave a jolt, looking surprised.

Merlin immediately put his hands up onto the table, proving it was not _him_.

Confusion mixed with pain in her face before her gaze shifted from Merlin to Arthur, and then her eyes widened as she flinched, yanking her foot away the second Arthur apparently let go of it. She straightened immediately in the chair, gaze on her food, astonishment on her face as she did so. She stole a little look towards Arthur and Merlin before blinking rapidly, clearly in shock, while shaking her head of pretty red curls.

Claim very much already having been made, Arthur now ignored her and instead laughed and nodded to the man next to the husband. “I have heard of that as well. Mercia is a strange place. Is it a surprise they are at war with Camelot all the time? A kingdom of perversion and one of such frigid morals could _never_ get along.” And yet the prince of the Morally Frigid Kingdom cupped Merlin through the material of his pants, seeming content to mostly hold him, his thumb the only thing teasing Merlin’s cock as it trailed up and down the shaft slowly.

Elbows resting on the table, Merlin shifted slightly, trying to stifle the moan of appreciation from tumbling from his lips. Had they been in Mercia - the Perverse Kingdom according to Arthur - he would’ve been able to openly enjoy his mate’s caresses, but instead he was forced to try and train his expression to blank disinterest and not reveal exactly how much he was enjoying himself. Despite that, he could feel his pheromones reacting, instinctively, like it always did, seeping into the air around them, beginning to curl around those closest to them on the table before making its way slowly outwards, reaching more and more of the wary travelers in the inn’s mess hall enjoying their dinner.

“One of my cousins went to live in Northumbria,” one of the men seated close to the husband declared with a chuckle. “Mercia is not the _only_ kingdom of perversion. From what I am told, orgies are so common place there, especially in the castle, that it is considered odd when that is not occurring. Although, unlike Mercia’s well-known _proclivities_ , Northumbrian men _and_ women are equally involved in these orgies. It’s honestly shocking they haven’t had an overpopulation problem given this.” 

“Gogoddin _easily_ beats that,” one of the other men declared victoriously as if this was some sort of competition. “Not only is it _law_ that the king has the right to a bride’s first night before her own husband, but it is also law that he has the right to tup _anyone_ he wants - no matter _who -_ _whenever_ he wants. The royal family also have their own harem meant just for them to enjoy however they wish.”

“What about Daobeth?” The one actually sitting next to the husband wanted to know with his own laugh. “They keep as isolated and removed from the other kingdoms _for a reason_. My grandfather’s grandfather apprenticed there when he was younger, before it closed its borders, and the stories he told were _shocking_ of the practices that go on there.” He waggled his eyebrows. “Not many of us actually _believe_ what he told his family, but they make for scandalizing stories to exchange over a good tankard of mead.”

“Oh, if you are going to bring in _Daobeth_ , a place we are not even sure is still in existence givenhow no one can actually cross their borders, why not bring up _Cambia_?” A man seated next to Lord Percival snorted. 

Looks were passed by the men at the mention of Cambia, then again, Merlin didn’t blame them.

“Cambia is a _myth_ ,” Arthur scoffed, betraying his Camelot upbringing (to Merlin at least) with his arrogant dismissal. “Daobeth is probably dead and gone, no kingdom could survive suchtotal isolation for so many generations without _someone_ either going there or _coming_ from it.” He seemed completely into the conversation, not at all betraying what his hand was doing to Merlin. “Northumbria, Gogoddin and Mercia, though, are real kingdoms that still _exist_.” He pursed his lips. “I wouldn’t want to live in a land with enchanters, _or_ one that has a law denying you the choice whether you are rutted or not.”

“But you wouldn’t mind living in a kingdom with huge, terrifying, inhuman men who are eithermurdering someone with terrifying ease, or _sodomizing_ everything around them?” Another man asked in shocked, somewhat sneered laughter. “I don’t know, _I_ would probably prefer getting thrown hallucination after hallucination instead of having my self respect as a man trampled on and destroyed by having some other man degrade me in that form.”

Arthur didn’t visibly reacted when this man and some of the others laughed, but Merlin could feel the anger trembling the grip around him. 

“How _could_ some self-respecting man live having been so disgraced?” Another wanted to know with a snicker which echoed throughout the table by the same men who’d laughed at the first one.

Lord Percival went completely silent.

It was the husband, however, who spoke. “Your youthful ignorance is not only _very_ clear, but is _embarrassing_.”

The men looked at him in surprise and shock, the first one - who’d called it degrading - eyeing him in horror. “Do not tell me, sir, especially not while in front of your lovely wife, that you have _experienced_ that sort of—-?”

“Do you know what a prostate gland is, young men?” The husband wanted to know curiously, and when he saw the confused looks on their faces, he snickered and turned to look at his wife, who’d leaned into him with a lustful little smile. He wrapped a proprietary arm around her, pulled her closer, then turned to the other men. “It’s a spot deep inside of a man that gives _unspeakable_ pleasure when teased, women do not have it, only men. Problem is that it is usually located far too deep inside of them that fingers usually cannot find it - some can, of course, yet—-.”

“A _cock_ reaches it easily, though,” the wife declared with a little purr as she leaned into her much older, _portly_ husband. “ _Everything_ about my husband is _big_ ,” she whispered with a chuckle while rubbing his stomach. “So imagine just how much _friction_ it causes to have his root buried inside another’s body? A woman is sure to find pleasure but a man? A hole _so tight_?” She bit down on her bottom lip. “I love to tease them, lure them in with promises of my husband being a deep sleeper, and then watch him seduce them, play with them, do to them what they thought they’d do to me. To see his pleasure is to feel it myself.” She shivered, a flush of arousal climbing up her pale neck. “You should hear their cries of ecstasy once he’s finally inside of them and having his way with their bodies.” She did not seem to realize every single man was watching her in intense interest, as were some of the men (and women) from the surrounding tables. “He has to lather himself with so much salve because he’s _so big_ he’ll tear them if he doesn’t apply enough. Even then he has to take his time, rucking his cock against their entrances, pushing slowly but surely, fighting against their tight rings, feeling them lose the battle slowly ever slowly, against his dripping need.”

An evil little glint darkened Merlin’s eyes, and he rubbed his eyes with his hand to hide the flash of gold there as his magic split, targeting the men who had laughed, and only them. It kept their hips glued to their seats and their mouths shut before taking form and beginning to press against them just like the wife was explaining.

Several sets of eyes widened and looked down at their own laps in growing confusion and a little fear as the magic rucked up against them, piercing through the bottom of the seat and their clothes in order to push against their bare entrances, too large, yet demanding. 

“They whine, some of them in fear of tearing and some in desire,” the wife continued as her hand slowly lowered onto her husband’s lap and grabbed him through his pants like Arthur was Merlin. “But he doesn’t listen, if he’s on top of them he’ll be inside of them no matter how tight those rings might be.”

The men were opening their mouths and trying to speak yet realized no words were coming out. They looked around at each other before silent cries tumbled from their lips as the magic pushed harder and harder against their entrances.

Arthur tilted his head as he watched them, and then he froze, and then he chuckled darkly, shifting to lean into Merlin as he whispered. “Naughty, Master. What’s your magic doing to those assholes?”

Merlin shifted his head so he whispered into Arthur’s hair. “When I am done with them they will _never_ speak of what you gift to me with such disrespect _ever_ again.”

The blonde shifted his head so they were nose to nose, his eyes dark and his lips pulled in a little smile. “Are you defending my honor, _Mer_ lin?”

“I know you do not need defending, but yes,” Merlin whispered back.

Arthur glanced around him quickly, subtly, before leaning forwards and pressing a rough kiss to his mouth, only to pull away seconds later and shift to lean into Merlin, watching with visible amusement, his hand caressing and stroking Merlin as best it could through the material of his trousers. The way he leaned in allowed him to more easily whisper into Merlin’s ear. “I can smell it, you know.”

“S-smell what?” Merlin was trying to concentrate on the wife’s words so he could know how to continue adapting this punishment, but it was getting harder to do so with Arthur working him ever discreetly under the table.

“Whenever it’s more than just us you get this _smell_ around you,” Arthur whispered teasingly into his hair. “It’s musky and sweet and slightly disorienting.” He chuckled deep in his throat. “I _like_ the scent.”

The pheromones. Arthur could _smell_ them? No one else could! They just _took effect_ … like they were not only on the men whose puckering holes Merlin’s magic was pushing against, but everyone at the table, and those at some of the tables around them as it grew stronger, fed by the growing desire Merlin was inducing.

The husband was pulling his wife closer and closer, sucking on her neck hungrily, leaving dark red marks against her pale skin.

“W-what does it feel like?” One of the men not affected by Merlin’s punishing magic asked the husband with a loud gulp. He looked embarrassed to be asking, a bit horrified in fact, and yet he was quickly getting drowned in pleasure. “I—I’ve never—.” He licked his lips and looked around the table nervous, seeming surprised and a little bolstered by the obvious interest on everyone’s eyes, as he turned back to the husband. “Is it like being inside a _woman_?”

“It’s different, very different,” the husband chuckled against his wife’s neck. “It’s so tight it almost hurts, but that’s why you have salve. It’s so tight sometimes you have to keep something stuck inside of him all day so that it’s easier to push in whenever you want to without having to work your way inside and wait for his body to try and accommodate you.You might even keep your seed deep inside of him to use as lube. And still, even then, you hear his slutty groans as your cock finally breaks through and starts to carve its home up his body.”

The men’s eyes widened, their bodies going ramrod in shock as Merlin’s magic pushed passed their tight rings and began working its way up them, magic all the salve it needed. Their eyes darkened, their lips parted, their breaths growing erratic as they glanced around at each other, clearly trying to understand what was happening to them and why, and yet as Merlin’s pheromones thickened and grew the men started to fidget, tried to shift their hips yet cried silent sobs when they couldn’t.

Arthur’s breathing was deepening, his chest rising and falling as he watched the men who’d talked so derisively of what he did try to instinctively push back into the magic feeling them with heat and over-stimulating every nerve so that the very slow trek up inside them was both pleasure and torture.

“And then you can’t wait any longer and you _shove_ your way home,” the husband groaned breathily while beginning to play with his wife’s skirt. “And then you _fuck him_.”

Magic followed suit, filling the men completely to the ‘hilt’, causing quite a couple of them to jolt visibly, drawing some attention onto them finally, but they did not seem to notice by now, their eye-lids half closed, their lips parted, their hips arched as best they could manage. And then the magic began to move,the actual movement invisible to all but the effects clearly written upon their faces.

Lord Percival cleared his throat as he glanced around at the table, who was very quickly losing themselves to the pheromones.

“And then… that _gland_ …” the husband looked nearly delirious as he undid the strings holding his trousers closed. “ _Wife_.”

“ _Husband,”_ she whimpered in response and gathered her skirt around her quickly before shifting onto his lap, hovering with a cry as she wriggled her hips impatiently.

The husband reached in under her skirt, a squelching sound could be heard as she groaned and closed her eyes with a shiver until finally he removed his hand and slammed the object that had been inside of her on the table top. It was cylindrical and dripping with semen, but no one had much time to even notice that as the husband grabbed his wife by her hips and lowered her down on his lap. Even with the table half covering them, and her long, flowing skirt doing the rest, it was more than obvious when his cockhead began to breach her because she threw her head back and moaned lustfully.

It was clearly a tight fit, the husband slowly fucking up into her a little deeper each time, both impatient and needy, not even seeming to notice the audience they had. Some of the men were starting to kiss their women, while those who’d come alone were clearly rubbing themselves desperately, unable to look away as the man used his strength and larger size to manhandle his sobbing wife further and further down onto his cock until it was finally completely buried inside of her.

And yet, no matter how thick he cock _may_ be, it was clearly _not_ the reason for the tent in the wife’s skirt once she was fully settled down on her husband’s root. 

Shock filtered throughout the room as everyone seemed to only now realize what Merlin had suspected all along, but that shock was immediately overcome the second the husband began to fuck his wife, who let out a shrill cry.

It was as if the sight of the wife losing all control on her husband’s cock completely shattered any semblance of inhibition remaining in the room.

“ _Fuck him!_ ” Someone yelled from one of the other tables. “Fuck him good!”

“Make him scream!” Someone else yelled.

The men who’d come with their own wives were gathering them on their laps as well, not having half the difficulty the husband had had to slip into their companions and begin fucking them desperately, grabbing their breasts and sucking desperately at their necks.

The men who’d come here alone started looking at each other, assessing their neighbors hungrily yet with a shred of self-control remaining.

Merlin’s magic removed its binding on the voices of the men it was punishing, but the men did not seem to notice this, their voices groaned and lustful, vocalizing every time the magic thrusted into them, brushing against their own little magic numbs. They seemed lost to the fact that they were drawing attention to themselves, or that they were making quite the spectacle of themselves, groaning and begging and rocking their hips into thrusts only they truly knew were happening. To all else it looked as though they were rutting wantonly against the seats like animals in heat.

“ ** _Gods below_**!”

“ _Harder_! _Please_!”

“ _So good_!”

_“I need more!”_

Arthur sobbed and freed Merlin’s cock desperate before shifting to take it in his mouth with a wanton sound.

The sorcerer sobbed out loud, throwing his head back as his pheromones instinctively exploded out of him violently.

In a second one of the men from one of the other tables and grabbed one of the ones Merlin was punishing, lifting him up by hair hair. “Oh _I’ll_ give you harder!” He was freed already and working down the man’s pants only to press his hard cock against the man’s opening and begin to push in.

Merlin’s magic concentrated on licking and torturing the man’s prostrate, causing him to scream and beg, and allowing Merlin to continue feeding on him as his magic was still very much involved in the pleasure.

Only thanks to his magic did the man’s cock slip in as easily as it did, and he groaned at the sounds the one under his was making, before he began to rut desperately into him.

In seconds more men were at the table, forcing the other men down and piercing them, fucking them with uncontrolled thrusts.

Merlin’s magic coated each and every receiver’s prostate, giving them uncontrollable pleasure despite the inexperience and brutality of their lovers. The men sobbed and begged for more, for the cocks inside of them to go harder, deeper.

Frenzy completely broke out as the men who’d been holding back now turned to each other without inhibition, kissing and touching and fucking into each other desperately until bodies littered the floor, the tables, and the walls. Merlin’s magic sought out the bodies of each receiver, slipping inside to tease their special places and make their screams of pleasure even better than the ones inside of them.

The proprietors of the establishment, and some of their workers, hurried in to see what the commotion was, and were quickly pulled in by the pheromones and magic feasting on all those around.

Unless Merlin’s magic was involved physically and responsible for pleasure he could not feed, and even then he was limited to the amount he could do so at a time, so he chose those who would need it the most, making what might’ve been a very painful experience for them utter bliss.

Arthur sucked on him desperately, as if it’d been painful to not do so for as long as he had, as if he’d been sacrificing a great need.

Merlin rested one of his hands on the back of Arthur’s head, caressing it softly while reaching out with his other to slip in between the waistband of Arthur’s trousers, his fingers snaking their way down the cleft of his ass to bury themselves inside of him.

The blonde choked around Merlin’s cock and had to pull up for air, and when he did his eyes met Merlin’s seconds before Merlin kissed him. His Consort trembled, kissing him hungrily, desperately, and whining into his mouth when he tried to spread his legs wider to give those fingers more access only to have the trousers, which had slipped down slightly, restrict the movement.

Honestly, the sound did something to Merlin, he magic tearing the pants in two from his crotch to his ass, and then Merlin was tugging him closer, and Arthur eagerly did as told, somehow managing to not stop kissing him even as he stumbled to his feet and moved to straddle Merlin’s lap. Despite his pants being torn, his shirt was long enough to hide his indecency as he reached behind him and angled Merlin’s cock to his entrance before lowering himself eagerly.

Swallowing Arthur’s groans as he lowered further and further, Merlin

“ _Oh, wife_ ,” the husband sobbed into that red hair. “So beautiful, so sweet, so tight and tender.”

“Husband!” The wife’s voice vocalized each rough thrust loudly. “Harder husband! Leave your imprint in me!”

Shivering as he completely settled on Merlin’s lap, Arthur cupped Merlin’s face, kissing him deeper, longingly. He arched into Merlin, bringing their chests together and keening when Merlin began to move inside of him. His hands caressed up and down Merlin’s jaw before sliding deep into his thick black hair, gripping reverent fistfuls of the dark locks, his pleasure so thick it too had a scent.

The men who had scoffed and derogated at his position in his and Merlin’s relationship, who had _dared_ disparage Merlin’s mate (even if unknowingly) were sobbing like whores, completely lost to their own pleasure. Never would they speak ill of the sacredness of Arthur’s role in Merlin’s life.

Like the man, the demon was quite pleased with having put the humans around it in their places. While they were being used like bitches in heat, the mate was being loved tenderly, intimately, contrasting the animalistic need with reverent desire.

It was obvious the mate could sense it too, for he seemed close to tears with his happiness as he kissed Merlin as if he were the sweetest of tastes. The mate rested his elbows on Merlin’s shoulders, wrists crossed laxly behind that dark hair of head, cock hard and sliding against Merlin’s abdomen, leaving a thick trail of desire there as his body rocked with the tender loving it was receiving.

“ _My beautiful mate_ ,” Merlin whispered against his lips, earning the demon’s purr of approval at his voicing its unheard thoughts. “My perfect little Consort.”

The mate shivered at the praise.

“Such sweet lips,” Merlin groaned, not quite sure whether he was him or the demon right now, yet unable to truly care. “Such beautiful hair. Such pretty golden skin.”

Arthur groaned into his kiss as his cock throbbed between their bodies.

“So perfect, _so perfect_ ,” Merlin praised breathily against those lips. “My sweet pet, my defiant lover, my frustrating little concubine.” He nipped Arthur’s lips playfully when the blonde chuckled at that last part, but that chuckle turned into a breathless sob when Merlin’s magic wrapped around his own cock and started to spike outwards inside of Arthur from his root like tingling, unexpected little lightning bolts. “Do you like that?”

“ _Yessssss_ …” Arthur’s body twitched with each little bolt yet his grip tightened slightly around Merlin’s neck.

Merlin shifted his face to whisper into Arthur’s ear. “I love it when the spoiled prince becomes such a good little slave on my cock.”

Arthur’s arms tightened completely around Merlin’s neck as he arched his back further, pressing his cock harder into Merlin and whimpering at the extra sensation.

“Tell me what you want from me, my darling little mate,” Merlin groaned as he continued that slow, agonizing pace, enjoying the feeling of his body asserting its total ownership, its claim, to Arthur’s. “Ask of me and I will move heaven and earth to give it to you.”

A whimper, a whine, escaped Arthur’s lips as he closed his eyes tightly at that, and then he opened them and stared up into Merlin’s eyes before blushed scarlet. He lowered his head, took in a deep breath as he leaned in even closer to whisper into his ear. “ _Anything_?”

It didn’t even occur to Merlin how dangerous this might be for him, that _never_ occurred to him with Arthur. “ _Anything_.”

Arthur opened his mouth but then sobbed and bit down on Merlin’s shoulder when the cock inside of him brushed up against his special place, the electric jolts magnifying the pleasure and leaving him a breathless, trembling mute for a moment before the pleasure subsided enough for him to push on, to speak, to tell Merlin softly into his ear what he wanted. “Call me _wife_.”

A tortured sound escaped Merlin’s lips as he stilled immediately and hid his face in Arthur’s hair.

“ _Merlin_?” Arthur asked in sudden worry.

“ _If I move an inch right now I’ll cum_ ,” Merlin explained in a pain toned, and could feel Arthur’s smile against his ear. “It’s not _funny_.”

“You think _I_ think it’s funny?” Arthur scoffed disbelievingly into his ear. “You want to know what _I_ think? _Mer_ lin?”

“W-what?” Merlin groaned, if only to give him something else to think of other than the fact that should he merely _breathe_ too deeply he might cum right now. “ _What_ do you think?”

“ _I_ think,” Arthur whispered in the most seductive tone Merlin had ever heard from him, “that my womb is _aching_ for my husband’s seed.”

Merlin and his demon cried out as one, the sound completely inhuman even to his own ears, terrifying him a little. “ ** _Is it aching?_** ”

“ _So painfully_ ,” Arthur crooned throatily in his ear. “Push in deeper, husband, and kiss your wife’s womb. It’s so desperate for your affection.”

“Arthur,” Merlin growled, surprising even himself by the threat and danger in his tone. “You need to **stop** that.”

“Stop what?” Arthur asked after a second’s hesitation, proving he was far too stubborn for his own good. “Stop telling you how empty and in need of filling my womb is? How desperate it is to feel your warmth, your magic, your life, spilling out into it? How it _yearns_ to be stretched once more from your overwhelming desire?”

Snapping, Merlin surged forwards and buried his teeth warningly into Arthur’s neck, not enough to draw blood but enough so that Arthur stilled underneath him. “ ** _Wife_** ,” he snarled in caution, tongue lapping at the rapidly beating pulse, yet despite the absolute shaking Arthur’s scent was far from scared. “The next time you provoke me like that better be in times of peace when I can truly teach you what it means to have your womb filled with my seed, but if you do so again before then, I **will** punish you. Do you understand, **wife**?”

“Y-yes, husband,” Arthur stuttered desperately. “Do you promise?”

“What, exactly?” Merlin let his teeth slip from that skin and licked away any sting before he nuzzled his face against that neck, breathing in his scent. “That I will teach you the true meaning of having a full womb?” He gripped Arthur’s hips, lifted him, and then slammed him down on his cock. “ _Or that I’ll punish you_?”

Arthur threw his head back, hands in his own hair, somehow his cry easily distinguishable despite the desperate orgy. “ **Both**.”

Smiling in awe, feeling very much like he may not have only found his match but be beaten by this boy, Merlin’s magic ripped Arthur’s shirt open, leaving him bare for Merlin to leave hungry kisses to. He feasted on that chest, biting, sucking, licking all he could while slamming Arthur roughly down on him, feeling himself getting closer, so much closer, but this time on his own terms. And then his lips wrapped around Arthur’s nipples and he sucked, hard.

“ _Merlin_!” Arthur screamed, hands going from his own hair to Merlin’s, gripping him tightly as he arched his chest even further at him desperately. “ _Please_ , Mast—!” He sobbed when Merlin sucked on him once more before wrapping his arms around Arthur and holding him tightly as suckling at his nipple desperately. “ ** _Gods below_!** ” Arthur’s hips rocked violently, desperately, fucking himself on Merlin’s cock while urging his master to suck harder. 

Merlin’s lips slipped free from Arthur’s nipple with a loud _POP_ , and yet, even as Arthur sobbed and begged and tried to force his head back Merlin chuckled and attacked his other one instead, licking, teasing the nub between his teeth, before finally suckling at it with a groan of pleasure.

Arthur’s body began to tighten around him, betraying how close he was.

Realizing he too was far too close, Merlin let go of that nub and gripped Arthur’s hair, swallowing him bawl of disappointment before hissing against those lips: “ _Wife_ , prepare your womb for your husband’s kiss.”

Arthur wailed as he came, mouth clashing with Merlin’s as he did so, his body massaging, urging Merlin deeper, and milking his own climax right out of him. Teeth clashed in their sloppy, breathless, desperate kiss as they held onto each other as if to life itself, as if they were the only people in the world, much less that mess hall.

* * *

 

“Grand Court Sorcerer?” Lord Percival called as he peered slightly behind him to eye Merlin curiously.

“Lord Percival, we will be discovered soon if you continue to call me by my title,” Merlin chuckled wryly as he urged his horse up so that he now rose besides him. “You _must_ call me Merlin.”

“Then _you_ must call me Percy, as Arthur does,” Lord— _Percy_ —declared with a grin before clearing his throat. “About last night, you were the only one who was not surprised when it was revealed that that man’s wife was, in fact, a male.” He cleared his throat and leaned in further, talking softer despite the fact that it was only the three men and three horses in the middle of seemingly endless open countryside. “ _How_ did you know? Even after seeing the proof I it took me a while to realize ‘her’ voice was a little too low and ‘her’ chest too flat, hips too narrow.”

“He must’ve been wearing a corset and padded dress to help disguise his figure,” Arthur agreed as he rode up on Merlin’s other side. “I also did not realize it at first.”

“Their relationship is not as uncommon as you two seem to think,” Merlin declared with a chuckle and shake of his head. “In kingdoms that are not so open and welcoming as Mercia - such as Camelot for example - there are _many_ couples such as those two. Their love would not be accepted as it was, so if one is pretty enough that partner will pass for the wife of the other, so they may live life as husband and wife without the prejudices and recriminations they’d face otherwise.” He smirked at the surprise on both Percival and Arthur’s faces. “This is also usually the case where one of the partners is much older than the other, and many times a widower with children the couple can raise as their own, which of course helps hide the truth that the children’s ‘mother’ is not actually a woman.”

“That is… _sad_.” Percival frowned as he thought it through. “I admit, I had not quite considered this situation before. In Escetia manly love is not exactly _lauded_ but it is tolerated, and yet I had never really given it much thought as I have always been more inclined towards the fairer sex. To think that there are those having to hide their relationship to this extent…”

Arthur made a face. “They should just go to Mercia. It is _known_ to not only accept, but _prefer_ , that sort of relationship. If they are having such difficulties in their own realm - move to one that _will_ accept them.”

Merlin’s lips twitched in amusement. “It is not that easy, Arthur. Many of them have families and responsibilities, have land that has been passed down from generations to generations.” He then reached out to brush away a fuzzy flower seed that had gotten caught in that golden hair. “But, having said that, there is a _reason_ why the men **_vastly_** outnumber women in Mercia. Many, countless, _have_ done exactly as you said, have left everything behind and pledged allegiance to Mercia, it is why they will do whatever it takes to protect it from outside forces.”

“ _Ah_.” Percival’s eyes widened. “I _had_ wondered at the seemingly genetic predisposition in Mercians.”

Arthur snorted. “Did you think it was something about the water?”

“It _had_ crossed my mind,” Percival admitted.

Amused by them both, Merlin shook his head. “There is nothing in the water, but I suppose, growing up in a place like Mercia would most definitely encourage the inclination. People like Arthur, the Consorts, are considered sacred in our society,” he explained to Percival, failing to notice Arthur’s wide-eyed blush. “It’s a coveted role that is seen very favorably, and those who have attained the position are viewed as very important members to Mercian society and the continued freedom of the nation from foreign oppressors. It is why there are many married Mercians who have wives _and_ pets or consorts or the such, and this is never an issue for the wife, who will usually have her own lover who can tend to her needs just as fully as the pet is for the husband.”

“Such as the relationship between King Bayard and Queen Morgana,” Percival understood with a wide-eyed expression.

“Or Sir Ethan and _his_ wife,” Merlin agreed. “There are also husbands and wives who are merely married to have children, after which they live apart, each with a child, to raise with theirrespective lovers.” He himself had been conceived under very similar circumstances, but thankfully most Mercians who grew up in these sorts of arrangements did not have to go through what he had.

Percival bit his bottom lip, clearly deep in thought, before his gaze shifted to Merlin. “I still find it hard to understand, although I suppose a bit of it is the fact that I cannot picture Miss Guinevere in that sort of relationship. She is like a beautiful pure flower.” He sighed and hung his head, clearing his throat. “I cannot believe that I appeared to be the only one who could not see where her affections truly rested.”

Arthur hung his head, looking surprisingly ashamed.

“I wished to court her, woo her, raise her position in court from a serving lady to a Lady of the Court.” He looked pained as he ran a hand over his closely cropped hair. “But if she is truly happy with the queen my feelings would be nothing but a burden for her. Troubling her is the last thing I would ever want to do.”

“You will find someone for you, Percy,” Arthur assured him. “Someone who makes you feel even more than you do for Guinevere.”

Percival looked very doubtful.

The rest of the day’s ride was done in silence.

 

* * *

 

“Merlin? Are you awake?” Arthur whispered into his neck from where he lay not only curled into him, but half on top of him, on their shared bedrolls much later in the night. It was Percy’s turn to keep watch, but it would seem Arthur had yet to fall asleep.

Merlin groaned and shifted to face his consort. “No.”

Lips twitching in amusement, Arthur pressed a kiss to Merlin’s lips before asking: “Do you feel better after what happened at the inn?”

Wrapping an arm around Arthur, Merlin pulled him in closer and slipped a thigh between his. “Yes. Much. I’m not at my peak but I’m feeling better than I have in a while.”

Relief was obvious as Arthur rubbed his back soothingly. “Let’s feed again at the next one, okay? Little by little lets get you stronger.”

It both amused and oddly enough touched him that Arthur said it as if the _both_ of them were feeding and not just him, it made him feel less of an aberration. But, of course, that wasn’t what he said as he snuggled closer. “Go to sleep, Consort. We’ll reach the next marker stone tomorrow so we need our rest.”

“ _Fine_ ,” Arthur grumbled as he snuggled back in and soon started to snore.

Amused beyond belief, Merlin shook his head and had a restful night’s sleep - at least until it was his turn to keep watch.

 

* * *

 

Merlin rubbed at the Gebo rune tattoo on the back of his hand and sidled Arthur and Lord Percival with a look. They were deep in conversation about the differences in practices their kingdoms had when it came to the treating of thieves (apparently Camelot flogged thieves publicly while Escetia cut off fingers) and were not paying attention to him. That served his purpose well, and Merlin continued to rub the itchy rune. While he doubted that the itch was the penalty they'd have to pay for Sir Elyan and Sir Leon's lives, well, it was distracting to the core.

Thinking about this penalty left him uneasy, and on edge, but there was no use crying over what could not be changed. They needed to continue on and hope the gods were in their favor - though, the longer they traveled, Merlin had the distinct impression that the gods  _were not_  in their favor at all.

**_Emrys_**.

He flinched at the unexpected voice before his eyes narrowed.  _Mordred?_

**_You feel better today. I am relieved._ **

He closed his eyes and enjoyed the feeling of the wind on his face.  _I have fed more, I feel stronger._

**_Good._** Relief. Strong relief. And then slight unease. **_I do not want to bother you while you are on this mission, you should not be distracted, but I feel you should know that things are tense in the Mercian castle at the moment._**

He opened his eyes immediately and frowned. _What has happened?_

A sigh. Tired. **_There are those who are not happy that Valiant and his followers are currently the guests of our dungeons_**.

That was to be expected. _Should I be worried?_

**_Not yet._** Lips pursed in a displeased expression. **_I do not like King Simon of Northumbria_** **_at all._ **

Merlin couldn’t help it, he chuckled loudly and covered his face with his hand. _That seems to be the consensus_.

"Is everything all right, Grand Court Sorcerer?" Percival asked as he looked up.

"Yes, sorry, Mordred _really_ does not like Simon." Merlin hurried his horse towards them, noticing Arthur's stare darken at his younger brother's name. The sorcerer sighed and was about to remind Arthur that he cared deeply for Mordred, but that the golden haired prince was _his_ , when suddenly the world around them began to glow red.

"What sorcery is this?" Percival reigned in his horse as it rose onto its back legs in terror.

But Merlin didn't have to respond as darkness fell upon them so thick he couldn't see the hand he waved in front of his hand. He could feel the magic remove him from his horse and land him on his feet, but where? The sound of hisses and curses proved that Arthur and Percival were with him as well, wherever he was. Shifting his hand palm-up, a withchlight blossomed in his hand and rose in the air, casting shadows around them as it illuminated the cave system they seemed to be in.

Merlin looked around them, eyes narrowed. "This is the marker stone where the penalty will be exacted."

"Any idea what that penalty will be?" Arthur, like Percival, was also on his feet and not on horseback. Unlike when Sir Elyan and Leon had been claimed by the first marker stone, the horses had been left behind.

Merlin shook his head. "I do not know what it could be."

As if reaction to his witchlight, a line of purple witchlights appeared, revealing a clear path through the winding tunnels.

"Any idea what awaits us down this path?" Percival pointed his sword's tip towards the tunnel indicated.

Merlin shook his head once more.

"Well," Arthur unsheathed his sword, "we wouldn't want it to be boringly predictably, would we?"

Percy sent Arthur a glare.

Merlin's lips twitched as he followed the lights, the others behind him. His eyes were peeled and his magic alert, but he hadn't been able to sense the magic before during the other trial and it left him uneasy. Also, he was far from recharged.

All in all this could prove to be disastrous. But he kept those thoughts to himself as he moved from one tunnel to another, following the trajectory of the lights.

Suddenly the tunnel they were traversing through began to close up behind them, forcing the trio into a race. They took a right and a left, their gazes on the lights and the path before them, never on their feet, which was why it came as a surprise to all when the ground disappeared beneath them and they found themselves free-falling into the darkness as above them the tunnel closed completely, leaving everything pitch-black.

Merlin's eyes flashed gold and suddenly their rapid descent stopped as they hovered in the air. His witchlight returned and revealed that the way they'd fallen through had been sealed off. There was no going back up, the only place they could go now was below. Slowly this time. With another flash of his eyes they began to make their controlled descent, and as they drew closer to the bottom the witchlight revealed a chamber of gold, jewels, and inconceivable wealth. That wasn't what Merlin fixated on though, no, his gaze was on the small mountain of broken skeletons beneath them - proof that they were far from the first to try to find the Dragonblade.

When their feet touched the ground Percival took a step forwards, eyes wide in awe. "Look at these riches."

"We could finance the war—a  _million_  wars—with the treasures here." Arthur, too, was awestruck by the endless gold, jewels and riches around them.

"We only want the sword." Merlin was blind to the glistening treasure around them. "We do not need to finance the war, we need to end it." He moved forwards, magic alert as he started down the small pathway winding throughout the mountains of treasure.

Arthur joined him at his side. "You are not tempted? Not a bit?"

Merlin sent him a sidelong glance. "With this?"

Percy, a step or two behind them, made a sigh. "You make it sound like this is a trifle thing to be tempted with."

The sorcerer's gaze strayed onto the riches around him and wondered if maybe it was unusual for him not to care, not to be tempted. He could see in both Arthur and Percival's gazes that they  _were_  tempted by the riches and doing their best not to succumb to it, to keep their minds on the task at hand. But Merlin really wasn't interested. He was here for the marker stone, which he was almost sure was at the end of this pathway. For him, the riches were nothing more than obstacles keeping him from what he truly wanted. "Every man has his weakness. Treasure is not mine."

"What  _would_  be your weakness then, Merlin?" Lord Percival seemed intrigued. "Carnal pleasure? Would it be harder for you should this be a harem?"

Merlin thought that over and then gave him a small grin. "It probably would." He rested a hand on Arthur's shoulders, his gaze returning ahead of them. "And yet I still wouldn't have a reason to succumb to the temptation."

Arthur rolled his eyes. “Feed just a _little_ more than usual and you get so _cocky_.”

Merlin snickered yet didn’t get to comment on the cheeky declaration because he suddenly noticed that up ahead the path opened up to a chamber in which stood Arthur Pendragon next to the second marker stone.

Merlin's eyes widened and he turned to look back at Arthur, who looked just as shocked.

Percival pushed passed them, his voice shaken. "What are you doing here, milady?"

_Milady?_ Merlin narrowed his eyes on Percival before they ventured to 'Arthur'. He turned to Arthur and whispered. "Who do you see?"

Arthur, hardly able to look away, whispered: " _You_."

A suspicion grew as Merlin grabbed Percival's arm before he could move towards the being. "Do you see Miss Guinevere?"

Percival turned to him in shock. "Of course I do! Do you not?"

" _No_." Arthur shook his head. "I see Merlin."

"And I Arthur." Merlin's gaze returned to 'Arthur'. "Whatever that is, I believe it takes on the form of the one most precious to you. If you are able to overcome the temptation of the wealth around us I believe it takes on the appearance of your _actual_ treasure.”

Arthur's eyes widened as they turned on Merlin, and then, despite the situation, he outright grinned. "Is that so?"

Rolling his eyes at the cocky prince, Merlin tried to feel for magic, but once more was unable to. His unease grew but he led on forwards, towards the being. "Hello."

'Arthur' turned his blue eyes on him. "Through the first test ye have tread, yet none of yours are rightly dead, a penance thus you must now pay, or all shall die within this day."

Merlin had known this was coming, but he was still nervous. "What is the penance for Elyan's and Leon's lives?"

'Arthur' smirked. "You kept something which should be lost, and so, in turn, will be the cost."

"That makes no sense," Arthur hissed.

"It's obviously a riddle." Percival frowned. "But I do not understand what it could mean."

Unfortunately, Merlin  _did_  understand. "You can't expect us to—."

"A penance owed I will collect, now choose which one you'll less regret,” 'Arthur' ordered.

"What is the penance, Merlin?" Arthur turned to him, eyes narrowed.

"Does he want one of our lives?" Percival wanted to know.

"No." Merlin took in a deep breath. "Not in the true sense, at least." He cleared his throat. "Why do you think that being is in that guise?"

"What do you mean?" Percival frowned.

It was Arthur who froze, and then his eyes narrowed on the being as he yanked his sword out. " ** _No_**."

'Arthur' appeared completely unfazed.

"What is it?" Percival growled in utter frustration. "What am I missing?"

"It is appearing to us as the one we care for the most, Percy." Arthur's voice was strained, angered. "Don't you understand what it wants to take away?"

Immediately Percival went terribly pale. "It wants us to choose between the lives of those we see?"

"Crueler than a life for life, this wound will be worse than a stab with a knife, for what punishment is more real, than an emptiness only the heart can feel?" 'Arthur' raised his chin.

"So he  _does_  want a life." Arthur tightened his grip on his sword.

"No." Merlin shook his head. "He wants the  _memory_  of that life."

" _What_?" Percival turned to him in utter confusion.

"The emptiness only the heart can feel." Merlin took in a deep breath. "He's going to remove any memory of ever having loved the person we did. You can't remove what was in the heart, not completely, so deep down inside you'll always feel empty, like a part of you is missing, but you'll never remember what it is that you're missing to be whole again."

"The words he says are true," 'Arthur' declared. "I will do this to one of you."

Arthur shook his head. "We are not going to—."

"Arthur, it is okay." Percival took in a deep breath and sheathed his weapon. “It will not be _your_ memory or Merlin’s that he will take."

Merlin turned to look at Percival in the same horror Arthur did.

"You will  _not_  give up on your love for Guinevere!" Arthur moved towards him, voice low. "You have admired her so fervently for so long! Even if it is one-sided that _does not_ make it less real or valid! Less meaningful!”

Percival rested a hand on the prince's shoulders. “It is not your choice to make, my friend." His smile was sad yet genuine. "I cannot allow this to happen to you or Merlin." He tightened his grip on Arthur's shoulder. "Your feelings for each other have shaped events too powerfully, and without it this war would already be lost." He took in a deep breath. "I give up my love of fair Miss Guinevere not only for the kingdom, but for her future, and her life. Should we not win she would suffer greatly as being both from the inner court of Camelot, and as the closest person to the Mercian Queen." He shook his head. "We must win this war, and I am willing to do what must be done, both for our realms, and for _her_."

Merlin turned to 'Arthur'. "Please, do not do this to him."

'Arthur' moved closer, eyes blazing. "Will you go against your word like this, when all that is asked for is a kiss?"

So this being would erase the memory of Percival's love for Guinevere with a kiss. "He is a good man. He has done nothing to deserve this."

'Arthur' tilted his head to the side. "What does that matter?"

Merlin felt the Gebo rune on the back of his palm fire to life but he fought the pain and the weakness that overwhelmed him as once more his magic was turned against him almost suffocatingly by these ancient forces. He tried to speak, tried to do _something_ , but every time he did it was as if something inside of him burned infernally.

"Merlin, please, stand down." Percival's voice broke into Merlin's haziness. "Arthur, let Sir Elyan know that I truly did care for his sister, and that my change of heart was to save her." He let go of Arthur and moved towards 'Arthur', brave and ready for when 'Arthur' wrapped his arms around him and kissed him, light enveloping them.

When the light disappeared, Percival stood alone, his hand on his head.

"Percy?" Arthur's voice was soft as he stepped forward.

Percival turned to him and let out a breath. "I am fine. Let us continue on our way."

Merlin eyed the knight and moved passed Arthur to him, placing his hand on the burly man's shoulder. "I will not forget this, Percy."

Percival tilted his head in curiosity before he chuckled and nodded. "Where is the second marker stone? It was here a couple of seconds ago." It indeed was gone.

Arthur pointed with his sword towards the path leading out of the area. "I think that is where we need to go."

Merlin nodded his agreement as they started down the pathway.

They continued onwards, and yet once they turned the corner in the tunnel, they blinked and suddenly found themselves back where they'd come from, mounted once more on their horses, as if nothing had happened.

"I do not understand." Percival frowned as he looked around them in mounting confusion. "Was the penance the second trial?"

Merlin frowned, unable to truly concentrate thanks to the terrible headache burning in his skull. "It would seem so."

Arthur sheathed his sword. "Something is odd about all of this."

He wasn't the only one who felt that way. Merlin had thought the first trial odd, and now the second one was even more—had they even  _had_  the second trial? Was the penance the second trial? If so—did that mean that they were  _supposed_  to have lost both Sir Elyan and Leon in the first trial? What if they hadn't? Would they have had a different second test? Or the same one? Or—or—it was all so confusing.

It was with great anxiety that the trio rode towards the third, and last, marker stone.

It wasn't until they reached the next, and last, village that Merlin realized that the Tiwaz rune was now next to his Gebo rune on the back of his hand.

* * *

 

Reaching their room in this latest inn, Merlin kicked the door closed behind him as he yanked off his shirt and padded towards the bed before collapsing onto it with a groan as he stared up at the ceiling. He did not know how long he stared there, but the bed dipping under Arthur's weight brought him out of his stupor.

“Since you didn’t come down to eat I had the landlady prepare something for me to bring up to you. It’s on the little table over there.” There was a pause. “You should have come down and eaten. _Fed._ ”

Closing his eyes, Merlin rested his forearms over his face. “I do not think I can look at Percival right now for the shame.”

“He _chose_ to do that, Merlin,” Arthur whispered after a moment’s silence. “And if you ask me, it might be a good thing to have happened. He was suffering but he would not let go of his feelings for her, he treasured them - and the version of her he idolized in his head - too much. I fear he would never have truly gotten over her had it not been for this."

“That makes it worse,” Merlin admitted guiltily. “It makes it sound as if his feelings for Guinevere are as obsessive as mine are for _you_.” He finally turned on the bed and let his forearm fall so he could look at his lover. “What if I had been forced to forget my feelings for you?” He gripped at his chest, which pained him at the very thought. “What if, right now, I could be standing at your side not understanding the emptiness inside of me and—-?”

“I would **never** let you forget me.” Arthur cupped his face and forced Merlin to look up into his scowling one. “I would have given up on the Dragonblade, on the _war_ , before I let that happen. You _idiot_ sorcerer.”

Despite the guilt and shame and panic, Merlin laughed genuinely as he fell back tiredly onto his back. “Why does your abuse always sound so sweet?”

Instead of rising to the bait, as expected, Arthur cleared his throat. “Does Mordred talk to you a lot through your mind? Is that _normal_ for you two? I—I really did not have much knowledge of what your relationship used to be like.”

It took a couple of minutes for Merlin to answer. He thought about Mordred and the relationship he'd shared with him. While it definitely had been far from monogamous Mordred had become his Favored, and as such he'd been treated differently than the other lovers. Merlin  _had_  been with other people the same time that he'd been with Mordred though, mostly with other druids, and now that he thought about it, it had always been Mordred who had initiated those encounters when Merlin was at his most desperate to feed. Looking back, Merlin realized that the boy had known that he alone wouldn't be able to satiate Merlin and had done had he'd needed to do to help the sorcerer.

A small smile touched Merlin's face as he realized just how well the druid had taken care of him. He'd been a true friend in so many ways, and Merlin hoped that their friendship could survive his relationship with Arthur.

Arthur's saw Merlin's smile and he frowned, darkly, before he blanked his face. He yanked his shirt off and moved without Merlin noticing.

It was only when the sorcerer felt his trousers being tugged down that he blinked back to the present in time for Arthur's mouth to descend on his cock. A groan escaped Merlin's lips as he leaned back on his elbows and watched as Arthur, cheeks hollowed, worked him to painful hardness in no time. Arthur's hands were at his own cock, which was rock-hard as well as he stroked himself.

There was fire and darkness in Arthur's eyes, a surprising, intriguing, and arousing combination. He relaxed his throat and took Merlin deeper. The feeling was incredible, and the sorcerer cried out as he threw his head back at the tightness, at the sensation of that tongue teasing his undershaft. Arthur let go of his own cock to fondle and caress Merlin's balls while fucking himself with Merlin's cock. He gagged once or twice as Merlin's cock reached as far back in his throat as physically possible, magic easing the way and removing any pain such intense intrusion might've caused him.

Merlin came embarrassingly quickly and without any sort of warning for the poor prince.

On his knees, Arthur continued to caress Merlin's balls as his shaft throbbed and spurted its warmth, thick cum deep down into his throat. The blonde's throat worked as he swallowed it all without complaint. In fact, there was a distinctively pleased glint in his blues as he finally slipped free and licked his lips.

Despite having cum only seconds ago, Merlin's hunger was painfully intense and his cock ridiculously hard. It trembled visibly as Arthur slowly began to remove his trousers, his hunger and need growing with every breath. Merlin hadn't realized that he'd snapped until seconds after he'd ripped off Arthur's trousers, thrown the boy face-first onto the bed and thrusted desperately into him with no warning whatsoever. He lay over Arthur's body, pinning him completely against the sheets as his hips met Arthur's roughly, rapidly. The boy's shocked cry fueled his desperation as his tongue and lips attacked the shell of Arthur's ear.

"Merlin, you—!" Arthur's voice was muffled by the sheets as he reached backwards and gripped Merlin's ass. The sensation merely caused the sorcerer to jackhammer harder and deeper into the blonde with unflinching determination. He could feel every inch of Arthur's ass clench around him and it drove him crazy, drove him wild.

Pushing upwards so that he straddled the groaning blonde, Melin reached back and gripped Arthur's calves, raising those legs backwards so that Arthur's feet were in the air as he rammed harder and harder into Arthur until the younger male's body rocked violently against the sheets with every thrust.

Clutching at the sheets, Arthur cried out words that weren't intelligible as he suffered through the abuse with twitches and whimpers. He kept trying to say something but the words continuously choked in his throat.

Lightning clashed outside viciously despite the fact that the sky had been bright and starry only seconds ago.

"Yesss— _yesss_!" Finally Arthur managed something intelligible, his voice agonized as his cock continued to be rubbed against the sheets while his ass was rammed desperately. "More! Harder!"

Merlin stopped in mid-thrust at the hungry tone in that voice. A small smirk tilted his lips when Arthur wailed at his lack of action, but that smirk quickly melted off of his face in an agonized cry as Arthur arched upwards, his hands clasping the back of his own neck, and he began to roll his hips into Merlin, his whole body undulating with the motion as his ass massaged the sorcerer's cock with his terrifyingly pleasurable actions.

" _Arthurrrrrr_." Merlin's face contorted with pleasure as Arthur fucked himself so amazingly on his cock. Merlin could merely hold onto Arthur's ankles as he lost himself to the intensity coiling deep inside of the pit of his stomach.

His little golden prince made painful sounds into the sheets, his voice crying out Merlin's name as he continued to roll his hips, the movement growing quicker and quicker until his whole body broke out in shivers and goose bumps as he came. His cum spurted on the sheets beneath him, and Arthur bit into the mattress to quiet his scream as his body spasmed in release.

Merlin closed his eyes tightly and groaned deep in his throat at the feeling of Arthur's ass clenching around him. The sorcerer threw his head backwards with a choked cry as Arthur milked an orgasm from him.

Arthur cried out, his body arching as Merlin seeded him, his cock twitching as it rubbed against the sheets.

"I need you." Slipping out, Merlin eased Arthur onto his back and then let out a cry of surprise as Arthur reached and out yanked him down on the bed next to him.

Taking advantage of Merlin's disoriented state, Arthur straddled him, weight on his knees as he shifted his hips to rub Merlin's cock against his ass-cleft, sending a jolt of painful need through the sorcerer. "Say it again."

For a moment Merlin was too consumed with the teasing his cock was receiving from those shifting hips. "I need you."

Arthur's lips curled as he reached behind him and guided Merlin's cock, causing both of them to groan once the sorcerer was sheathed deep inside of him. Arthur's blues met and kept Merlin's as he began to undulate above him.

Merlin reached up and pinched Arthur's nipples, causing the prince to clench around him with a cry. Gold flashed over his eyes as magic worked all over Arthur's body like thousands of mouths and tongues caressing his body, causing him to cry out and tremble in response.

"That is cheat—!" Arthur yelped as the magic curled around his cock and stroked it tauntingly slow while another wisp of gold began to slip deep within him and fill him with tingling warmth that made him extra sensitive. " _Mer_ lin!"

"My little princeling," Merlin groaned with tender regard as his hands locked on Arthur's hips. " _My_  little princeling." He lifted Arthur's hips so that his cock was almost free, before he slammed him back down and caused them both to cry out and tilt their heads back as they were full of each other once more. He repeated the movement, harder and harder, faster and faster, hitting Arthur in the place that soon had him screaming out Merlin's name with abandon and desperation. Arthur's cock bobbed with the movement, covered in gold and pulsating with obvious need, and yet while he was sooo close he wasn't close enough.

"Merlin—Merlin  _please_!" Arthur begged as sweat trailed down his golden, warrior's body.

Merlin's only answer was to capture one of Arthur's fingers in his mouth and suck on it, teasing the digit with his tongue and teeth.

Arthur made a terrible, despaired sound. "I need—you need—you have to—!"

Letting that digit slip from his lips, Merlin reached out and cupped the back of Arthur's head, bringing him down for a hungry, extremely dirty kiss as his cock slammed hard deep inside of his younger lover over and over again.

Arthur clutched as the pillow on either side of Merlin's head and  _screamed_  into the sorcerer's mouth as suddenly his body convulsed in mind-numbing, bone-tingling pleasure. He rammed his hips down harder onto Merlin's cock as he cried out, his body spasming and his ass clenching tightly around its impaler.

Merlin wrapped his arms around Arthur and held onto him tightly as he kissed him harder and came deep inside of him. His seed slowly escaped and slid down the inside of Arthur's thighs, more and more escaping as Merlin continued to pump through his climax. And once it was over he didn't stop. No. He flipped them over and continued to kiss Arthur as his cock moved in and out.

“ _Arthur,”_ Merlin whispered against his lips. “Do _not_ be jealous about Mordred.”

The blonde’s grip tightened on Merlin instinctively, his voice low and sulky when he grumbled: “I am not _jealous_ of him.”

“You say that, but it appears that you are.” Merlin peppered adoring kisses all that face. “I understand why you feel the way you do, but while Mordred might have once been my lover he was also a friend. I—-.”

Arthur dug his nails into Merlin’s back and _dragged down_ , scratching deep claw marks into his pale back.

The sorcerer groaned, head thrown back, while his demon gloried in the marks of bloody possession left on him by the mate.

“If you had forgotten all about me today,” Arthur whispered into his shoulder, “you would have gone back to be with _him_.” He bit down on that shoulder, hard, teeth drawing blood into his mouth, which he gulped down.

Merlin’s breath was ragged, his demon howling and whimpering and forcing Merlin’s hips to move rougher, faster, deeper inside of their delicious mate. “Arth—-.”

“ _I would have_ ** _killed_** _him, Merlin_.” Arthur’s voice was muffled by Merlin’s skin, but at least the blood was started to clot. “If you had not only _dared_ to forget me, but _touched him_ while denying me what is _rightfully_ ** _mine…_**!” He growled darkly, viciously, at the thought. “I would have killed him, slowly, painfully, and then I would’ve trapped you somewhere, _somehow_ , and shown you _who_ you belong to.”

He was clearly being threatened here, and yet Merlin was harder than ever, unable to believe he hadn’t spilled himself inside of his blonde already at the mere thought of being desired this fiercely by his consort.

“I understand you need to feed, that I cannot give you everything because it would kill me or worse, but _I_ get to choose, decide, _control_ who gets to find pleasure from your touch. Do you understand me?” His fingers dug in deeper. “ _I_ do.” He slipped his teeth from Merlin’s skin and began to lap at the sore marks where his teeth had cut through. “You might be My Master, but I am Your Consort. _I_ am your sacred existence, your demon’s mate, your most valued treasure, am I not?”

“You are **_everything_** , Arthur,” Merlin whimpered truthfully.

Arthur shivered and groaned beneath him, beginning to press soft kisses against the shoulder he’d just abused. “ _I_ am your wife, your _womb_.”

“ ** _My_** _everything_ ,” Merlin groaned, his cock throbbing so painfully as he thrusted deeper and deeper into his beautiful boy. “So beautiful, so sweet, so infuriating.”

“You keep saying things like that as if that’s supposed to be a compliment,” Arthur whimpered as Merlin’s cock speared him deeply. “Being called _infuriating_ is _not_ a compli—!” He sobbed when Merlin rubbed against that place inside of him. “ _Oh, Master_!”

“Listen to that sound,” Merlin ordered lustfully. “Hear how wet you are with my seed overflowing, slipping out with each thrust to drip down your inner thighs.” He was nearing insanity with the pleasure. “A part of me wants to hear nothing else, and yet the other part of me mourns the lives dying between your thighs.”

Arthur let out a tortured cry. “ _Don’t let_ —-!”

“Don’t let what, my infuriating pet?” Merlin purposely provoked.

“That is not a compliment!” And yet Arthur’s eyes were closed tightly in pleasure, his head pressing hard into the mattress.

Merlin chuckled, pressing kisses to Arthur’s face hungrily. “Shall I marry you, Arthur?”

The blonde hiccuped a sob as his eyes widened immediately. “ _W-what_?”

“You seem to _really_ like it when I call you _wife.”_ He nibbled teasingly on the blonde’s earlobe. “Shall I _make_ you my wife after the war is over? You seem to covet that title almost as much as you did Consort, and I could give it to you.”

Arthur was trembling, breathless. “I thought—-I thought Consort outranked wife. I—I thought—.”

“Consort outranks _everyone_ ,” Merlin assured into his hair while thrusting deep inside. “But you seem to still hold some insecurities about the voracity of my feelings, so since the only other truly prestigious title I could give someone else is that of my _wife_ , why do I not give it to _you_ as well and prove that no matter what, _you_ are my most sacred person?”

There was silence as Arthur went absolutely still.

Merlin, fearing he may had read things wrong, may have insulted or hurt him, pulled away to see the look on his prince’s eyes. The boy was close to tears, and that sent both Merlin and his demon into a panic. “Arthur, I’m sorry, I did not mean to somehow hurt or offend—-.”

“ _Idiotic sorcerer_ ,” Arthur croaked before reaching out to grab Merlin’s shoulders, bringing him back in for a searing kiss. “ _You love me so much, you idiot_ ,” he whispered between kisses, running his fingers deep into Merlin’s hair and keeping him still, refusing to let go. “ _Idiot, idiot,_ ** _idiot_** _.”_ And yet, despite his multiple ‘idiots’, and the tremor in his voice, he sounded happy as he wrapped his legs around Merlin’s waist, pulling him in deeper, urging Merlin to thrust by digging his heels into his ass with a whine.

Deciding this probably meant that Arthur had agreed to marry him, Merlin kissed back happily as he returned to moving inside of his boy. The sounds of their lovemaking were loud and wet thanks to the excess of cum that filled the young prince, but neither minded as Merlin thrusted home once more.


	4. Chapter 4

Arthur was so weak it made Merlin feel horribly guilty. The blonde was doing his outmost to try and play it off as nothing, but Merlin knew that he'd taken far too much from the blonde the night before. Why had he allowed himself to get so lost in pleasure like that? He _knew_ better. He couldn’t make these stupid, reckless mistakes, especially not when they were in the middle of such a dangerous situation! Even if he hadn’t really meant to feed, even if he’d just wanted to be with his consort, he _had_ to remember that he was not a normal man, he was part demon, he could _not_ just indulge himself like this when Arthur was already under so much strain and Merlin himself so desperate.

The demon was whispering angrily, apparently in the middle of telling itself off for having lost itself in the mate and solely feeding on him instead of spreading the strain amongst the people who had been at the inn. It could feel the drain on Arthur and was hissing how the mate should not be drawn from again until he was stronger. That ‘the big knight’ wouldn't put up a fight, not if it was for the good of Mercia. That carnal side of Merlin tortured his hungry body with images of him thrusting into the muscled, taller warrior, of switching between him and Arthur all night long.

_No. Stop it. You’re thinking of taking from Arthur again._

His demon surprising enough agreed with that command, hissing out immediately that ‘the mate must rest’.

It took a moment for the silence to get to Merlin and when it did he turned his head to find Arthur and Percival gone. There was no trace of them to be seen.

" _ARTHUR?_ " He yelled out, but his voice echoed around him, unanswered.

Narrowing his eyes, Merlin felt a shift in power, similar to the night he and Arthur had been out in the woods together. The horse must've felt it as well because it reared on its hind legs. The unexpected movement sent Merlin flying off and as he hit his head on the ground, everything went black…

…

…

…

…

When Merlin opened his eyes the first thing he saw was Arthur's worried blues as he leaned over him. A look around him proved that it was dark and they were at a camp, next to the fire as it roared. The horses were tied up, and although Percival was missing his things were by the fire. He'd probably gone out looking for more firewood, or possibly hunting for something to cook given the fact that their rations were scant since the last village had not had much to sell them before they left.

With a groan Merlin sat up and brought a hand to his head, which hurt like hell. "What happened?"

"I do not know." Arthur looked highly disturbed. "One minute you were on the horse in front of us, and then we turned to look when you called out seconds before your horse kicked you off. You hit your head, it bled quite a bit. We decided to make camp until you woke up."

"The third marker stone—."

Arthur pushed him back down when he tried to sit up. "We will get to it in the morning. It makes no sense to go when you are in this condition. You need your strength."

At the mention of strength Merlin looked down and palmed the symbols on his hand. "The longer I wait, the more energy he is able to siphon out of me. We need to go. I will be weaker tomorrow."

"At least wait until our friend returns with something to eat." Arthur shook his head. "We all need our energy."

That was true, so Merlin relaxed as best as he could.

Settling back on his knees, Arthur brushed his tired, worried face with the meaty part of his palms. “You need to feed.” He yawned yet began to undo the laces of his breeches. “If that being truly _is_ siphoning out of you, you need to be as strong as you can be to face it.”

“I will defeat him without that,” Merlin assured him, not sure if he was lying or not, but refusing to take more from his lover. “ _You_ need to rest. You are the one I am worried about, not myself.”

Confused surprise covered Arthur’s face as he tilted his head and took in Merlin worriedly. “Do you think I am blind? Anyone can see that you are not nearly as strong as you should be if you truly plan to go after the Dragonblade.” He moved closer on his hands and knees. “I’m linked to you, I am yours to feed of off, that is what I am _here_ for.”

Reaching out rapidly, Merlin cupped Arthur’s face and forced it to face his own glare. “You are not here so I may _feed_ off of you, Arthur. When will you get that you are not my _food source_ but my _mate_?” He growled in annoyance, his demon unhappy with the lack of self-value the mate was displaying. “I would prefer to wither and die than to take too much from you and risk your life or your soul.”

“I would give both to you, for you,” the blonde whispered faithfully. “I understand what it means to be bonded to a demon, especially one of your pedigree. I _know_ how this will most probably end.”

Merlin went cold. “ _How_ will it end, Arthur?”

The blonde gulped, looking surprised and confused, and a little wary. Arthur lowered his gaze to the floor. “I am addicted to your love, your body, _you_. We both know that.” He cleared his throat. “The idea of dying to give you life, of dying with you inside of me, it does not bother me. I crave that.” He clutched Merlin’s hands on his face tenderly. “Life or death, if you give it to me, if it is in your service, I will be happy.”

Merlin stared into that face and saw the truth there. In seconds a cold fury filled him as he shoved Arthur away. “Go back to Mercia, Arthur.”

From where he’d fallen on his back, weight held up on his elbows, Arthur stared up at him in open shock. “ _What_?”

“When Percy gets back from wherever he is, the two of you are going to pack your things and you’re going to return to Mercia.” He was furious unlike he’d ever felt before, and he was honestly scared of just viciously angry he was. “I will go on alone.”

“That’s _suicide_ ,” Arthur hissed in utter horror. “You _need_ us, you cannot complete this without us there with you - even if just to feed from us!”

“Be quiet _,_ ” Merlin whispered incredibly softly.

Arthur, as always, did not listen to him and pushed on. “Our other comrades have sacrificed themselves for us to go forwards because they understand that this mission is more important than we are, because, they know, just we _we_ do, that out of us all _you_ are the _only_ one who is **not** expendable.” 

“ _Be quiet_ ,” Merlin nearly begged as he gripped his pain-filled chest tightly.

“You’re the Dragonlord heir, _you_ are the only one who is needed to complete this task,” Arthur continued on stubbornly. “Lives hang in the balance, not just ours, but those of so many in Albion. You _need_ to get the Dragonblade, that is all that matters. We do not matter, not if it means you finally laying claim on the blade forged from _your ancestor_.” He glared up at Merlin, clutching his fists into the blades of grass around him. “This whole quest has been about preparing you to sacrifice those around you, Merlin. Don’t you see?” He let out a ragged breath. “First with making us choose between the lives of two of our friends - and then losing love - surely you realize what you need to sacrifice to get the blade.”

Merlin froze, cold terror filling him as Arthur’s words made sense. Why hadn’t he seen that? He’d thought the ‘quests’ were odd, didn’t quite make sense, and yet Arthur’s words were chilling. They made sense. 

“The Dragonlords hid the blade after the destruction its power brought on their family, decimating their numbers and corrupting all those who wielded it. It calls to the Dragonlords, those who know _so well_ about sacrifice.” Arthur forced himself onto his feet. “First they sacrificed one of their own to create the blade, and then they had to sacrifice another to hide it and keep it hidden before it destroyed them all.” He took in a deep, uneven breath. “ _Surely_ a sacrifice will be asked to retrieve it. You **know** this.” And then Arthur actually looked at him, and Merlin didn’t know what the blonde saw there, but it must’ve shown the truth because his eyes widened in shock and his voice was breathy when he whispered: “ ** _You did not know?_** ” His voice broke. “You are a _Dragonlord_! How could you _not_ know this?”

“My father died when I was too young to be taught what being a Dragonlord meant!” Merlin snapped at him, hearing the hysteria in his own voice. “I don’t even know how to _use_ my Dragonlord magic! The Voice! I am only Dragonlord in name! I _did not know_.” He leaned heavily against the tree, his chest rising and falling erratically in his growing nausea, hysteria. “ _I did not know_. The tomes—-they said _nothing_ about that!”

There was silence, and then a sigh escaped as Arthur moved to lean against him, resting his cheek against Merlin’s racing heartbeat, gripping the sorcerer by his hips. “I believe you.” He shifted to hide his face in Merlin’s shirt. “But that does not change the fact that, when we find the Dragonblade… someone is going to die. I’m the only one who is weak, you fed too much, it is only right to let it be the one with less use. Let my life _mean_ something, give it meaning in my death.”

Merlin stilled, his demon was quiet, incredibly quiet, and then Merlin snapped, and for the first time ever he slapped Arthur. _Hard_. The demon fueled the blow, which was so hard it sent the unsuspecting boy hard to the ground. Everything in Merlin recoiled at having hurt Arthur, but the demon and the humanity were both furious and hurt and close to crying. He gulped back as much as he could, stayed pressed against the tree. “ _Go away, Arthur_.” He gripped the tree behind him tightly, fingers deep in the bark, while pointing with his chin towards Arthur’s things by the fire. “Get your things and _leave_.”

Looking up at him, a hand to his darkening cheek, Arthur’s eyes were wide in utter shock. “Why—-?”

“ _Get your things and_ ** _go_** _!”_ Merlin snarled, his voice shifting on the last word, a bit of the demon snarling out. 

Fear filled Arthur as he hurried to his feet. And yet, while he looked between his things and Merlin, he visibly fortified himself. “I—-.”

“ **I DON’T CARE!** ” The demon was **all** there now, the voice an inhuman roar that visibly pierced through Arthur’s body and caused him to break out in cold sweat and utter terror. Merlin hated seeing that fear, hated knowing that Arthur had finally seen the true him, eyes demonic black, face paler, features sharper, fangs visible behind his lips, and demonic writing etched into his skin. “ ** _GET YOUR THINGS AND GO BACK TO MERCIA._** ” 

When Arthur seemed frozen in terror, the demon and Merlin both agonized yet he needed to do more, needed to terrify the blonde enough to force him into running, to send him as far away from this place, from Merlin, as he could. It didn’t matter that he’d no doubt lose Arthur thanks to this, he’d known this day would come, somehow he’d always known it, and it was why, maybe, knowing that this rejection was awaiting him, was the reason he was unable to love anyone, ever. He could see the same horror on Arthur’s face that had covered Freya, the same horror that had proved to him that he’d never be human again, never be able to truly show himself, the real himself, to _anyone_.

Arthur was shivering, sounding close to tears. “ _Cambions don’t change form._ ” He brought his hand to his heart. “ _What_ ** _are_** _you?”_

It was the utter fear in that voice that caused Merlin to snap. He would not hurt Arthur. He would not do to him what in his youthful inexperience and pain he had Freya. He would not — could not — _would not_ — hurt him! And yet when he stormed towards the prince and reached out for him he should’ve been prepared for the boy to flinch away from his touch, and yet, somehow, it still caught him by surprise and ripped his heart to shreds.

Steeling himself, Merlin grabbed the instinctively retreating prince by his hair, grip sharp and unforgiving as he began to drag the crying, struggling boy behind him. He was going to lose him. _He was going to lose him_. But that didn’t matter. Not right now. He was going to lose Arthur, but he’d save him.

“Stop! Please! It hurts! _Stop_!” Arthur shrieked and kicked, struggled, trying to get free as he gripped Merlin’s wrist in an effort to lessen the pain in his scalp as he was dragged by his hair.

Even the horses were terrified of Merlin in this state, but he ignored them as he grabbed the back of Arthur’s shirt with his other hand and hoisted him viciously up onto his horse. His magic flung the group’s money into Arthur’s saddlebag, and his horse’s reigns in his hands.

The sorcerer, no, he wasn’t a sorcerer, he couldn’t fool himself, not when he was in this state. The demon, for he _was_ a demon, a monster, a thing of nightmares, leaned close to Arthur and whispered in soft promise. “If I see you again, Arthur, I _will kill you_.” And with that he slapped the horse, which was only too happy to take off, racing rapidly in the opposite direction, trying to get away from Merlin as possible. 

The other horses neighed and kicked, tried to get free, tried to follow their comrade to freedom.

Taking in a deep breath, Merlin shook his head, magicked the map and his supplies to him, and then started walking, leaving his horse and Percival’s behind. No doubt the lord would be confused and worried when he came back to find the camp deserted but he’d track Arthur’s horses’ hoofmarks and it would lead him to wherever the blonde was.

Gulping back the emotion that tried to slip passed his lips, Merlin moved onwards, not stopping for hours, putting as much distance between him and the group as possible. Without the map in his possession they would not be able to follow him, not that they would, not now that they knew what the demonic blood in him had truly made him - not now that they knew of the truth of what he was - not now that they knew the reason why no one who _truly_ knew him would ever be able to love him.

_It does not matter. You did not love him. You knew this would happen. You were not fool enough to love him knowing that_. _Who could ever love a creature like you?_

And yet, hours later, when Merlin found the comfort of a dark cave, he sat holding his knees to his chest, and sobbed himself till the darkness of exhaustion claimed him.

* * *

The journey was slower while he was by himself, on foot, but Merlin pressed on. He didn’t know what he was going to do now, why he was still after the Dragonblade, maybe it was because, if he didn’t have this to do he wouldn’t have anything to distract him from the suffocating pain filling him. Even though his visage had returned to his humanity it didn’t matter anymore, they’d seen it, they knew now, and everyone else would too. They’d know the monster he tried to hide, to deny, to forget.

A haze of despair descended over him nearly physically, but he forced himself to swallow back the sobs, forced himself not to shed a tear. He searched for that numbness he’d tried to forget, to claw himself out of. Now it was a balm which slowly stopped the shaking he had been unable to get rid of, quieted the whimpers that would escape his lips at the memory of Arthur’s fearful, horrified realization of what sort of creature he’d allowed to rut and spill inside of his body. 

The memory of Arthur instinctively flinching away from his touch played over and over again tauntingly, Julius’ words overlaying over it. ‘ _You’re a monster, Merlin. A monster. Who could ever love you if they knew what you truly were? No one. Merlin._ ** _No one._** _’_

It had hurt to hear those words, but they’d been true. _True_. So true the only salvation Merlin had was to drown himself in that numbness and let it bury every hurt and fear deep under its hazy, all-consuming blanket.

And yet, even with that numbness fighting to save him, images of Arthur’s face flashed in front of him, laughing, grinning, rolling his eyes, aroused, demanding, petulant, spoilt… _terrified_.

‘ _What_ ** _are_** _you?_ ’

Grabbing at his head, Merlin screamed, the sound one which shook and terrified even the demon within him.

* * *

Gasping awake, Merlin doubled over, grasping at his nauseated stomach, trying desperately to catch his breath. Sweat had drenched through his clothes during the night, dripped down his forehead and down the side of his face, his neck. He could still feel the ghost hands all over him, feel the breath in his hair, feel the fullness in his core. Goosebumps raised on his skin and yet this time he had nothing in his stomach so there was nothing to vomit. 

Shifting to sit with his knees bent and his elbows resting over them, Merlin lowered his head and forced himself to breathe slower, like he had every time he’d awoken with these memories after Bayard had taken him to the Mercian Court. He closed his eyes, tried to think of Hunith and his father, tried to picture their smiling faces, tried to bury himself in a memory of a time before their deaths, and yet a pang of panic hit him when he realized their faces were blurry in his mind. He was forgetting them. He was forgetting his parents. _How_ could he have forgotten them?

Clenching his hands in his hair, Merlin whimpered. “Stop acting like a victim, it was _your_ fault,” he hissed angrily to himself. “ _Your_ demon awoken, _your_ pheromones made it happen. _You_ were the one at fault, not him. _You_. **You.** He was an _amazing_ godfather before _you_ messed with his mind with your _incubus_ taint just _rising_ out of your pores.” His voice broke. “ _You ungrateful_ ** _whore_**.”

His inner demon whimpered and paced, trying to reach out to him, not understanding comfort yet clearly trying to convey its own version of it. 

Tears filled his eyes as he stared in front of him. “ _I did that_. He took me in after my parents died and _I did that_.” Silent tears escaped his unblinking eyes. “Even if I didn’t understand, didn’t know, didn’t realize it, _that was my doing._ I needed to feed, and I was instinctively enticing him with my very _scent_ but then acted all—-no _wonder_ he ensorcelled me. He—-he saved me. He saved me, and I got him killed. Just like I did Julius.” And that name he flinched even harder. “Julius was right. All I do is hurt and destroy those closest to me, those who try to help me, those unlucky enough to love me. Mother. Hunith. Father. Tauren. Freya. Julius. B-Bayard.Mordred. Owain. _Arthur._ ” Tears continued to fall as he stared unseeingly ahead, not truly seeing his scenery, instead the cambion was lost in the horrified realization that dawned on him as he saw his memories in a new, sickening light. “ _I’m a curse_ ,” he whispered shakily, beginning to fall apart while alone in the dark.

‘ _What_ ** _are_** _you_?’ Arthur’s horrified voice echoed in his ear.

Merlin’s whole body shook and he found it hard to breath. “ ** _I’m a monster_**.”

* * *

The numbness was stronger now, but like he had during the year preceding his having gotten Tauren killed, Merlin welcomed it. The journey bled into itself as Merlin lost track of time. Minutes bled into hours which bled into days. He wasn’t sure how long he’d been walking, whether he’d eaten, drunk. He was a demon, after all, a monster, he probably didn’t need to eat or drink anyway. All he probably needed to survive was to continue sucking the souls out of the innocents, the weak.

By the time he finally reached the lake Merlin felt like he’d been walking for years, and decided vaguely that maybe he had, because the reflection in the water looked older, tireder, than he should. Then again, he did not look his age, in fact, his demon blood left him looking much younger since it was easier to desire those with youth upon their countenance - maybe having accepted what he was had somehow changed that.

“Should you not have come with two more?” A voice asked curiously from deeper within the lake.

Merlin looked up, following the voice to see a beautiful woman floating in the water, her hair all about her, her eyes intrigued. “Who are you?”

“You may call me the Lady of the Lake,” she chuckled as if this were a very funny joke, only to pout when he did not smile back. “Where are your companions, Dragon Heir?”

“I am here alone,” he instead replied. “I have no need of them.”

She slowly rose up from the waters, not walking towards him, but lifting up into the air to hover over the lake, water dripping from her beautiful blue gown and red tresses. “That is incredibly pretentious of you, although, I suppose, you _are_ a Dragonlord. It fits.” She curled her finger towards him. “Come to me, Dragon Heir. Let me see you up close.”

He chuckled darkly. “I would rather _not_ be drowned by you before I can state my peace.”

“How _ungentlemanly_ of you to even _suggest_ such a thing.” And yet she was chuckling as the breeze played with her red curls and the hem of her dress. Merlin stared at her in silence, which merely caused her to raise an eyebrow at him. “Tell me something, Dragon Heir, for I find you very hard to read. Why come for the Dragonblade? Is having it worth it?”

“Worth what?" Merlin asked curiously.

“The price this crusade of yours will cost." The Lady did not seem condemning in the least, mostly curious, like one who did not have much chance to talk and so never stopped once she found someone to listen.

" _Of_   _course_  it is." Merlin stared up into her intrigued face. "Mercia needs the Dragonblade. It is our only hope of winning the war and keeping our people safe. And not only ours. If we lose, the people of Escetia, Caerleon and Northumbria - even places like Amata - will be in peril as well." He took in a deep breath and stared up into her eyes. "War has never been my choice, but this is our best bet, and if Mercia does not have the Dragonblade so many more innocents will perish."

“I see. Well, speaking of innocents, shall I call forth the two who are stuck awaiting your rescue?” She tilted her head with an innocent expression on her face. “The journey is long though, and they might drown.”

Clenching his fist, Merlin stepped towards the water yet stopped right before entering it. “I know there is a sacrifice required to claim the Dragonblade.”

She eyed him before smiling. “So you _do_ want me to call them forth.”

“No.” Merlin shook his head. “ _I_ am the sacrifice.”

For the first time since she’d made her presence known, the smile slipped from her face as she stared at him in confusion. “I beg your pardon?”

“ _I_ am the sacrifice,” he pushed out once more. “I come here willing, I will walk into your waters and let you drown me. But in return, you must give up the Dragonblade.”

The Lady of the Lake stared at him in shock, before squeaking out: “ _To_ ** _who_**?”

Merlin took in a deep breath. “To Arthur Pendragon, to the true heir of Camelot.” He clenched his fists. It hurt just to say Arthur’s name, but it would not hurt much longer, and that was his only consolation. “Even before I discovered that there was to be a sacrifice I did not intend to be the one using the blade. While I do not know as much about the Dragonblade, or my family’s history with it, as I should, I know enough to be certain that if it were in my hands the darkness inside of me…” He cleared his throat. "Only the worthy can remove Excalibur from its hidden place, and a soulless monster would never be worthy."

“Soulless.” The Lady of the Lake picked up on that word curiously as she tilted her head. “You believe this?”

“I am part demon, Lady,” he responded before correcting himself with an angry shake of his head. “No, not part, considering my father was half demon and my mother full, I _am_ a demon. And demons have _no_ soul.”

She pulled a strand of red out of her face and behind her ear. “You have a soul, Dragon Heir. Do you truly not know what you are?”

“I am a monster,” he replied with ease of conviction.

“A monster with the soul of a dragon,” she corrected easily. “This gift is passed down from father to son, I am surprised yours did not explain this to you. It is through the connection of your souls that your kind have been able to speak to any Dragon in the language shared by your souls.”

While he was shocked by this knowledge, Merlin sneered with a shake of his head. “Given the fact that I have yet to see a Dragon, much less _speak_ to one, we cannot ascertain my soul or not, Lady.”

She looked somewhat troubled yet very interested at the very same time. “You mentioned a name. Pendragon. _Son_ of the Dragon. How adorable.” She raised an eyebrow. “Why is this Arthur Pendragon worthy to carry the Dragonblade?”

“Arthur is young, and a part of him wants to avenge his parents’ deaths, but what he _truly_ wishes is to stop the war to save and protect his people. He doesn’t even ask to get his kingdom back, he’s agreed not to ask for it, out of a desire to help a kingdom which was his enemy with a curse. He is a true prince, he is worthy of the power, and capable of handling the burden that Excalibur will bring.”

“That’s all good and well,” she scoffed with very little interest. “But the Dragonblade was forged by one with a Dragon’s Soul. Only one with a Dragon’s Soul could hide it away, and only one with a Dragon’s Soul may wield it and its power.”

Merlin took in a deep, shuddered breath. “Then he will be able to wield it.”

Confusion fluttered over her face. “Does this Arthur Pendragon have Dragonlord blood in him passed down by his father?”

“No.” 

“Then _why_ do you insist that he could wield the Dragonblade?” She huffed in annoyance.

Instead of answering her, Merlin observed the lovely redhead before asking: “Do you truly believe I have a soul?”

“I do not _believe_ it, I _know_ it,” she grumbled in a very impatient way.

“Arthur is bound to me by magic,” Merlin finally explained himself slowly. “He could be considered an extension of myself.” It hurt so much to say this, to talk about what was in the past and what would nevermore be. “If I have a soul, Lady of the Lake, it lives _in him_.”

All impatience and annoyance fled her face as her eyes widened and she brought a hand to her lips. “ _Oh_.” Shock flittered over her features. “ _You love him_.”

“No.” He shook his head. “A demon cannot love, My Lady, it can covet and desire and possess and claim and… and _everything_ but love.”

She gave him a pitying look. “Who taught you such lies?”

He flinched and looked away. “I am not here to talk but to die, My Lady.”

“That you are,” she acknowledged softly. “Does the boy love you back?”

“No.” He clutched at his chest, finding it hard to breathe again. “Even if he had not discovered what I truly am, he is addicted to me, and I did nothing to stop it.” He pressed his hand hard into his chest with a flinch as he lowered his head. “No one can love someone like me, not if they truly knew me. I had managed to delude myself into thinking maybe he could—that I might be able to—-but they were fantasies, and it is good that I woke from them before it destroyed us both.” He looked up and gasped in shock to find her right in front of him, face leaning in angrily towards him, so close they were almost kissing. “What are you—-?”

“I see,” she hissed, furious. “Tell me, Dragon Heir, what sorcerer would wish to block your birthright’s magic?”

He frowned in confusion, taking a few steps back and away from her. “What are you—-?”

“Was not taught. Cannot perform Dragonlord Magic. Cannot use the Voice.” She was trembling, her voice low, her hair and dress whipping around her in her fury. “Knows not of the Dragonlord ways or their history.” She pressed her hand against Merlin’s chest, and even through his clothes he could feel how cold she was. “Did you know you were ensorcelled by someone very powerful?”

He fought to keep from reacting visibly to that. “My demon was activated after a traumatic event when I was young, ensorcelling me was the only way to—-.”

“To what?” She tilted her head, fierceness in her eyes. “To ensure the Dragon within you couldn’t merge with and temper the Demon like it had in your father?”

Merlin froze. “ _What_?”

“How long were you numb, Dragon Heir?” She whispered softly. “How long was your body in shock due to having a part of it purposefully ripped away and forced down, kept blocked, kept _trapped_ , kept completely isolated within you?” She leaned in closer, staring into his eyes. “How long until that emptiness inside of you felt _normal_?”

He began to tremble. “I——.” Merlin cleared his throat and shook his head. “It doesn’t matter, _none_ of it matters, not now.” He moved around her, going to the water’s edge. “Your tests were all to prepare us for sacrifice.” He took a step back into the water, and another. “Give Arthur Pendragon the Dragonblade and you will have the ultimate sacrifice.”

“You will Excalibur to him?” She asked softly.

“Yes.” He continued to walk backwards into the water, which rose higher and higher all around him.

"Your men would sacrifice themselves to save the other and trust you to save them,” she murmured in thought as she started towards him, yet unlike him her feet never sunk into the water, allowing her to walk over it and follow after him. “They would also sacrifice their own love so that you could have yours. You and this prince command such respect from your people. Of good people.”

"Not one of them are born Mercian," Merlin corrected. "They are not my people. Most of them are _Arthur’s_. If anyone is commanding respect and loyalty, it is _him._ ”

“I find it quite interesting that the Lord of Dragons mated with the Son of the Dragon." Her gaze went to the Gebo and Tiwaz runes on Merlin’s hand, watching the runes glow.

“Please,” Merlin sighed, tired, pained, close to tears yet too proud to shed them. “May I just die now?”

She stared at him in growing pity before she shoved him backwards into the water.

As the cold, black waters crashed all around him, consuming him as he fell deeper and deeper, Merlin could’ve swore he heard a muffled, distorted voice screaming his name.

…

…

…

…

“ _MERLIN_!"

Merlin groaned and blinked his eyes open, only to freeze at what he saw. There, leaning over him, was a wide-eyed, paled faced Arthur, the blonde visibly terrified. The look, _that_ look, froze him in fear, and when he realized Arthur was reaching for him, Merlin flinched away from the touch and shifted out of reach, hurrying to his feet as he looked around him in confusion. Why was Arthur here? _Where_ was here? Where was the lake?

“ _Merlin_?” Arthur asked softly, worriedly.

He was unable to look at him, still seeing the look of horror on his face, still able to feel his rejection. “I did not realize the addiction you felt towards me was strong enough to risk the threat I left you with. I’m sorry, it was wrong on me to allow it to happen to you. We’ll wean you off.” He sneered. “Or maybe the blade’s siren call was too strong to deny.”

“ _What_?” Arthur’s voice squeaked in an understandably terrified way.

He noticed out of the corner of his eye that Percival was there too, and just like Arthur he seemed unsure of what to do. Merlin forced his gaze away and hardened himself, telling himself he should be grateful they were desperate enough to need the Dragonblade that they’d come after him despite what they knew. This way, when he was able to get Excalibur, he could hand it to Arthur and leave instead of having to trek all the way back to Mercia to do so.

Speaking of the Dragonblade, while he didn’t know why he was still alive, Merlin _did_ know it was close. He could feel it, somehow. They just needed to find it and then he could leave before he lost all control and self-respect and begged Arthur to forgive him for what he was. The cambion shifted to keep his back to the two newcomers and squeezed his eyes shut tightly while biting down on his bottom lip.

Somehow he felt it, felt Arthur getting to his feet and coming towards him, hand outstretched.

“Don’t touch me.” He could feel Arthur’s hand frozen an inch from his back.

“Mast—-?” Arthur whispered shakily.

“Don’t _call_ me that.” It hurt. It hurt _so much_. Why was Arthur doing this? Was it the addiction? Was he _so_ desperate to get on Merlin’s good side for the Dragonblade that he’d try and pretend they both didn’t know how he’d so instinctually rejected Merlin? “The Dragonblade is close.” He took in a deep breath, finding that numbness and embracing it, no matter _what_ it might be. “Let’s just get this over and done with.”

He moved away from them, forgoing his horse, which they’d apparently brought with them. He kept his back to them all, kept his head high, kept his mind busy by trying to feel where that damned sword was. Behind him Arthur and Percival were whispering far too low for him to hear, it was urgent, rushed. They were probably worried he was leading them into some sort of trap or ambush.

The demon whined and wailed, stopping its pacing to curl up tightly inside of Merlin with a pathetic cry.

He pressed his hand to his solar plexus. _I know_. _It hurts_. But he pressed on, following that odd _knowing_ , until he stopped when he saw it up ahead. The marker stone. The last one. And there, embedded deep within it, was Excalibur.

“The _Dragonblade_ ,” Percival whispered as he moved towards it in awe, circling the jewel encrusted marker stone from which the magnificent hilt stuck out of. Magic emanated from it visibly to Merlin but he doubted Percival could see the power this blade emitted. “How are we supposed to take it back if it is buried within this stone?” He looked up at Merlin. “Is this perhaps another test?”

“Maybe.” He shrugged and folded his arms over his chest, refusing to show how much the blade’s power called to him. “Try to remove it.”

A doubtful expression crossed Percival’s face but he tried nonetheless, his huge muscles flexing with the strength he put behind his yanks. He shifted positions, angles, anything, until he collapsed to the ground in a breathless heap. “It didn’t even budge.”

Feeling a gaze on him, Merlin finally turned to look at Arthur, finding the blonde staring up at him in visibly growing fear. The sight made him gulp back nausea as he looked away. Did Arthur think _he_ wanted the blade? Surely he was imagining _the monster_ wielding Excalibur. Nothing else could be the cause for that look. “You should try it.”

“Wait?” Arthur looked towards the sword and then returned his gaze on Merlin with a shake of his head. “No. You are obviously the only one who can remove it."

Ahh. So he _had_ been right about the source of that fear. “I do not want it.”

Arthur’s expression scrunched. “But—-.”

“ _You should try it,”_ Merlin hissed.

Jolting back at the anger behind that tone, Arthur took a step back, and another, before he visibly steeled himself and moved towards the stone. Arthur glanced back at Merlin, expression searching, before he finally reached out and clasped his hand around the hilt. Magic reached out, snaking around his hand and reaching up his arm, golden and green, and when Arthur pulled on the hilt, the blade slid out of the rock triumphantly.

Percival’s eyes widened as he stumbled to his feet. “Arthur! You did it!”

Arthur wasn’t looking at Percival or the sword, his gaze was on Merlin, conflict clear on his face.

Merlin bowed at his waist. “Congratulations, Prince Arthur.” It left a bitter taste in his mouth to actually use the boy’s title like this. “This is the first step in defeating your uncle and getting you your kingdom back.” 

Suddenly magic erupted around them and in the blink of an eye Leon and Sir Elyan appeared, seated on the ground, both munching on apples and looking as shocked to be there as the others were to see them. Their horses were also at their sides and, funnily enough, seemed far less interested in their sudden change in scenery.

Leon smiled and stood to his feet. "I knew that you would free us."

Sir Elyan merely snorted and bit into his apple. "What took you so long?"

Laughter filled the air as Percival hugged them both. “We have it! We have the Dragonblade!”

Merlin looked away from them, turning his back on the group as he gazed at the road which lay ahead. “The road to Mercia is long, we should—-.”

“ _I have had enough of this_.” Arthur suddenly growled angrily. “Merlin, as your Consort I _demand—-!”_

_“_ ** _No._** _”_ Merlin heard the dark threat in his voice, unable to believe the blonde would do this, would bring this up, as if it were trivial, as if—as if Merlin wasn’t battling everything inside of him right now. 

“ _N-no_?” Arthur asked in a weird, breathless tone. “But hus—.”

“ **ENOUGH!** ” Merlin snarled as he turned on him, so close to losing his composure, to showing Arthur the face - the visage - that had terrified him so much. He couldn’t handle seeing it again, couldn’t handle the fear, the rejection. Merlin saw the tears in Arthur’s eyes, the fear already growing there as he clutched the sword tightly to him, as if he could already sense that Merlin was close to becoming that monster once more. Merlin couldn’t do it. He couldn’t stand it. “Ihave changed my mind.” His voice broke with despair despite the fact that he wished to be strong, numb. “I will take the long road, you take the short.”

Arthur took a step towards him. “Mer—.”

With a snap of his fingers, Merlin found himself alone. He was not as drained as he would’ve thought considering he’d just sent four grown men and five large horses all the way back to Mercia’s outskirts, but maybe it was the fact that his grief was so overwhelming. 

And then, right before he felt he might die from his pain, blessed numbness surged forth to save him.

* * *

 

“ _—-lin_!” And yet, when Arthur’s foot hit the ground, he was no longer headed towards Merlin. The blonde looked around him in confusion, the scenery having changed. His heart clenched painfully, beat terrifyingly fast, as he searched around him for the sorcerer only to realize what his words had meant. Merlin had sent them somewhere, most probably close to Mercia’s borders, and had remained behind.

“I know where we are,” Percival declared in surprise. “We’re a day’s ride from Mercia.”

“He sent us this far all on his own?” Leon asked in absolute awe before frowning in confusion. “Why did Merlin not join us? What was happening back there? He seemed… off.”

“Maybe he did not have the strength to make the journey as well,” Elyan muttered with narrowed eyes. “We all know how weakened he became when he moved Valiant and his men to the dungeons below us. This… this is more than that.”

Arthur hadn’t heard his friends’ wonderings. He’d turned towards the direction Merlin would be in and swallowed back a sob of terror. What had _happened_ to Merlin when he’d fallen off the horse? Why had he—-?

‘ _Do_ ** _not_** _touch me_!’

Grip trembling around the sword still in his hand, Arthur replayed the anger, the fury, the violence and threat, but also the incredible agony he’d heard in Merlin’s voice, had seen on his face. It was as if Merlin had been trying to be strong, to push Arthur away, to clearly put up a wall between them, and yet something deep inside of Merlin had been screaming for Arthur in desperation.

“Take the sword.” The blonde turned to Percival and passed it to him.

“What—?” Percival looked at it in confusion.

Arthur raced towards his horse, jumped onto it, and urged it into a gallop as he hurried back the way he’d come from.

* * *

On the second day of Merlin’s journey back to Mercia, Merlin stumbled upon one of the carts of imprisoned children Birdie had told him about. It was a larger than normal a cart which had metal bars forming a cage, within which children were huddled en masse, crying for their mothers and screaming for help. There were multiple carts with multiple children, a few women included in the bunch, all showing signs that the guards had paid them special favors.

The demon surged in alertness for the first time since it had curled up deep inside of Merlin to mourn. It wanted blood. It wanted pain. It wanted death. It wanted to feel anything but the agony twisting deep inside.

So did Merlin.

By the time the men who’d been trailing after their wives and children arrived those who’d been taking them to Camelot were dead. The druids in the group recognized him, and before he could stop them they’d told the rest.

He slipped away the second they turned their backs.

Even as he ate his rations he felt empty.

* * *

On the third day of Arthur’s journey back to Merlin his friends caught up with him. Apparently the sword had disappeared as soon as he’d left, but he didn’t care. He hadn’t wanted the Dragonblade to begin with and he wanted it even less now. Arthur didn’t know how, but that sword was to blame for whatever had happened to his idiotic sorcerer. They had not had the third trial so _why_ did they have the sword? 

Somehow, _some way_ , Merlin had gone through that trial alone and it had _broken_ him.

Arthur hoped the Dragonblade remained missing wherever in hell it must be right now.

* * *

 

On the fourth day of Merlin’s journey back to Mercia he stumbled across Camelot soldiers raiding a small village. Women and children were being attacked, men were being slaughtered. Chaos and death filtered the air.

The soldiers never made it out of the village, not even the ones who tried desperately to escape.

The villagers thanked him, praised him, lauded him as their savior and begged him to spend the night.

He did.

He fed.

He still felt empty.

* * *

On the seventh day of Arthur’s journey back to Merlin he replayed the utter fear on Merlin’s face when he’d woken up after having been thrown from his horse to see Arthur leaning over him. The blonde thought back at the way he’d recoiled from Arthur’s worried touch and had hurriedly moved out of reach. He replayed Merlin’s confusing words about addiction, threats, and weaning Arthur off of him. The knowledge that he was addicted to Merlin was not the confusing part, Arthur knew that to be true, he also knew he was addicted because in his own way, Merlin was just as addicted to _him_ and had been unable to keep the same distance between them that he had with all his previous lovers. No. The confusion came from Merlin’s sudden apology and promise to wean him of that addiction, to free him from it, to free himself from Arthur.

Arthur replayed Merlin’s inability to look at him, refusal to allow Arthur to touch him, denial of Arthur’s right as Consort, _desperate fury_ at Arthur’s attempt to address him in the manner they both enjoyed.

On the seventh night Arthur realized that whatever the third trial had been, it had turned Merlin against him.

* * *

On the ninth day of Merlin’s journey back to Mercia he got a ride with a caravan. The people were refugees who’d escaped the fall of their kingdoms and were headed in Mercia’s direction as they had heard of Mercia taking in the children of their kingdoms and were hopeful some of their own missing ones were there. They were mostly frail old men and women, scared children, and far too few and tired adults. There were injured and sick.

On the twelfth night bandits fell upon them. 

Merlin used his magic to trap their attackers, betraying who he truly was to give the caravan time to escape, and then once the caravan was out of sight, his demon howled.

Blood.

Screams.

Pain.

By the time he walked away as daylight started to bathe the countryside in light, he’d not only fed to his heart’s content, but the blood that remained from those lifeless bandits would leave the ground crimson for days to come.

That emptiness inside of him grew.

* * *

On the eleventh night of Arthur’s journey back to Merlin he had a little breakdown. Thankfully it happened while he was on watch, the others snoring around him, so no one was there to witness him completely abandon his post, slip away into the darkness, collapse to his knees, and cry. 

“You abandoned the Dragonblade.”

Eyes widening in horror, Arthur wiped at his eyes, finding a girl standing in front of him. “Who the _hell_ are you?” And how had she managed to sneak up on him so easily? So soundlessly? It should have been impossible! 

“You may call me the Lady of the Lake,” she declared imperially.

Arthur looked around them at the endless forest. “ _What_ lake?” And then her previous words seeped into him and he froze seconds before anger had him storming to his feet. “ **You** did this to Merlin, didn’t you!?”

“ **I** did nothing.” She rolled her eyes. “It was Excalibur’s doing. It was being capricious. I just talked to him. That’s all.”

“The _Dragonblade_ did something to him?” Arthur hated that accursed blade more than he already had.

“It was abandoned, for years, allowed to stew in resentment and isolation, so when it realized that that boy had no immunity to the dragon magic as he should’ve given his heritage it took advantage and acted out like a spoilt child,” she grumbled with a shake of her head. “Although, I am sure, had it known everything it would not have been as cruel.”

Cruel.

Arthur felt utter fear filling him. “What did it do to him?”

“It weaseled its way into his head enough to feed his more primal fears. It was punishing him, I suppose, as it wanted to punish his ancestors who had forsaken it. A soul lives within that blade, Son of the Dragon, and that soul might be unbelievably strong, but it can also be petty _as fuck_.” She then made a face. “Right. That saying has not come into being yet.” She pursed her lips. “That does not matter, what _does_ matter is that he was willing to die so you would have Excalibur and you just _abandoned_ it.”

“ _Die_?” Arthur’s voice was as shaky as his heart.

“Even though he did not believe you loved him, he came to me to be the ultimate sacrifice so _you_ could have the Dragonblade, as he said _you_ were worthy of it.” She eyed him up and down with a frown. “Are you?”

Honestly, Arthur was not sure which part of what she’d just said had hit him the hardest. “What did Excalibur _do_ to him?”

She tilted her head as she eyed him. “It made him believe you had seen the part of him he tries so hard to hide and deny despite the fact that it is his true self, and not only did you fear him, but you rejected him. You could not even abide his touch.”

And it all made sense. Terrible. Horrible. Sense.

“The thing is, Son of the Dragon, that even though he was sure you did not love him, could not stand to be near him, he _still_ wanted you to have the blade. He scared the conjured version of you away because he believed a life was owed for Excalibur’s return, and he would not have it be yours. He thinks he cannot love, and yet he clearly loves you fiercely.”

Arthur’s strength gave out on him and he collapsed to his knees.

“Do you know _why_ Excalibur slid free for you despite the fact that you do not carry Dragonlord blood in you?” The girl wanted to know curiously. “It is because, even if only in the Dragon Lord’s eyes, _you are his soul_. You are not his and he is not yours, you _are_ him and he _is_ you.” She bent on her knees and placed her hands on Arthur’s shoulders in a surprisingly comforting gesture when he began to tremble viciously. “That is why I must talk to you despite the fact that this is not how it would usually go, but he is suffering very greatly right now. He was meant to have touched Excalibur, it would have cleared everything for him and shown him the truth of what it forced him to go through, and yet, I suppose, even that would not have truly helped completely. Not with what happened to him.”

“What else did that forsaken blade _do_?” Arthur hissed.

“I do not mean Excalibur this time,” the girl corrected immediately before hesitating. “What do you know of his past? Do you know of his childhood trauma?”

“Yes.” Arthur tried his best to calm himself. “His mother killed his father and cursed his adopted mother in front of him, the fear and confusion of it activated his demonic side far too early.”

She nodded. “But do you know what happened _next_?”

The blonde frowned in confusion, not sure why this was important at all. “He went to live with a guardian for a little over a year until King Bayard found him and brought him to the Mercian Court as his ward.”

“Not a guardian, his _godfather_.” She stared at Arthur silently. “Did you know he ensorcelled him?”

“Merlin ensorcelled his guardian?” Arthur asked in confusion.

“You do _not_ know.” She sighed deeply and pulled away, gaze on her hands. “It is not my story to tell, but this blade is mine to protect, as is the soul it now serves.” She ran her hand down her face. “Do you love him, Son of the Dragon?”

“ _So much it hurts_ ,” Arthur admitted in defiance.

“I will not tell you the details I gleaned, but you need to understand _why_ he believes so fully that he cannot love you when he so obviously does.” She reached out once more and gripped his hand. “His godfather somehow trapped his draconic magic inside of him when his demonic was activated, and did not allow it to merge and become one like it has with the few other Dragonlords in history to have this mix of blood. Due to this the Dragon Heir’s draconic side was so incredibly subdued the demonic took over, overtaking him unlike past mixed bloods, making him more demon than dragon. It has made him something he has to hide, something hideous and deformed, something he now believes you have seen - which is why he is convinced you could never love him. His twisted mind, soul, body… it all stems from the cruel separation of his draconic magic. Even now it is trapped inside of him, leaving him incomplete, and that incompleteness will continue as long as that part of him his godfather ensorcelled is not freed and allowed to merge with the demonic.”

“Why would his godfather do that to him?” Arthur asked in confusion. "Why assist the demonic to have an unnatural hold and control over Merlin?"

She sighed. “How do Cambions feed?”

And then Arthur went still, utterly sick. “But he was only—.” He thought about what he’d seen in Simon’s memories, Simon declaring that Merlin closely guarded memories of what had happened ‘before’. He thought about the way Merlin had slipped and said Bayard bringing him to the Court as his ward had been a ‘rescue’.He thought about how it was only after Bayard had realized Merlin was bottoming for Valiant that he’d ordered him to stop. How the king had noted that being the receiver in sex—-how it _hurt_ Merlin’s demon. He thought about all the cryptic comments Merlin would make - thought about Merlin’s horrified reaction when he’d seen Arthur being brutalized - thought about the nights Merlin woke up screaming or crying, covered in sweat and barely managing to move fast enough to vomit into a waste bin. He remembered his own time as a captive, remembered Merlin’s patience, his insistence to make Arthur feel pleasure, to be soft and gentle, to not scare him. He remembered Merlin’s asking him for permission to enter him, as well as his many whispers of ‘Does it hurt?’

“If you truly love him, be patient,” she whispered, her voice breaking into the dark wasteland his mind had taken him to. “He was an ensorcelled, abused child taught by someone he trusted that not only was he a soulless monster who was incapable of truly loving someone, but that being what he was made him wholly unlovable in return.”

The tears welling in his eyes were no longer for himself, neither was the burning, murderous anger churning deep inside of him.

“Get him to touch Excalibur, Son of the Dragon,” she repeated. “It will at least dispel the remnants of the trance he was put under.”

“I do not have that accursed sword,” Arthur despaired.

“Yes, you do,” she countered vaguely before sighing. “Although the damage done may be irreversible. I fear the Dragon Lord may be traumatized by your perceived rejection of his true self that not only will the lessons taught to him so brutally in his childhood be cemented as utter, indisputable truth, but that he may never give you the chance to prove otherwise.”

Arthur’s terror grew.

* * *

 On the fourteenth day of Merlin’s journey he heard the first whispers while in the marketplace.

“ _Mercia’s Butcher_ ,” they whispered.

“ _Freed the children_.”

“ _The Devil’s Hound._ ”

“ _Caravan_.”

“ _Golden Death.”_

“ _Soaked with blood._ ”

“ _Death’s_ _Wraith.”_

“ _Village saved_.”

He’d pulled his hood over his face better and had continued his search for someplace to spend the night only to realize that the only place that had room and board was a brothel. He’d taken it. Taken them. Fed on the prostitutes, on their clients, on those around the brothel until the whole village was like the Battle of Drayton. He would not allow himself to lay down in bed until he had overexerted himself, even by his standards, having found his fill and feasted on those around him. He’d collapsed in bed, not quite sure it was actually _his_ room, but in the end that did not matter.

* * *

  _“And you said a whole village was an exaggeration,” the Succubus Queen snorted in amusement as she lay in bed with him on her stomach._

_“It’s a_ **_small_ ** _village,” he reminded her as he turned on the bed to face her. “And I would not say I rutted with them_ **_all_** _, just most of them.”_

_“While I am happy to feel you so much more fed - strengthened - than you have been in far too long…” She glanced around the room with a small frown before returning her gaze to his with a little worry. “Where is Arthur?”_

_This might have been the first time she’d called him by name, and yet instead of pleased by that acknowledgement of his mate’s importance, Merlin shifted away from her to lay on his back and stare up at the ceiling. “Mercia. With the blade. Preparing for war.”_

_“That does not sound like something he would do,” she noted softly. “What has you in such turmoil, my son? You should be happy being so much closer to full than you have been for so long, and with the Dragonblade returned to you, and yet…” She reached out hesitantly and placed her palm against his solar plexus, face scrunched in concern. “And yet you’re in such terrible mourning.”_

_He once more turned towards her, realizing in shock that she could feel the demon inside of him, but then why should that be a surprise? The demon came from her. “Arthur saw what I truly was, what being your and father’s son made me, and he was so terrified and disgusted he rejected me instinctively.”_

_She shifted closer, staring up at him in open pain. “I am sorry, Emrys. I was sure he would accept the_ **_real_ ** _you.”_

_The demon within remained coiled into itself, silent, motionless._

_“Did you know that Tauren’s magic separated and isolated my draconic magic?” He asked softly._

_In seconds she shot up onto her knees, eyes wide, skin pale, lips parted in horror. “He did_ **_what_ ** _?”_

_So she had not known. “But you knew I was ensorcelled.”_

_“I knew he was dulling you in order to keep you controllable, I just did not realize_ **_how_** _.” She scooted closer, staring at him in utter terror. “I thought your draconic magic was merely dormant, less dominant and thus completely ruled over by your demonic, but are you telling me you are **completely** unable to access it or use it at all?” When he nodded that that was the case, she let out a stuttered breath. “Emrys, do you understand how dangerous that is? That magic will continue to grow with you, and it will—I cannot understand how it has not lashed out against you before now!” She pressed her hand against his solar plexus once more, her eyes going a pinkish purple as her own magic reacted inside of her. “You must find a way to break this seal over it. It will be hard given he was strong enough for it to still be deep inside of you, living and controlling, hardened like a molten shell, but you _ **_must_ ** _break that shell, Emrys.” She stared into his eyes in determination. “You_ **_must_ ** _let the dragon in you break the egg keeping it trapped inside, and hatch.”_

_“How?” He asked softly, unable to believe that he was actually asking her for advice. How had he gone from hating the sight of her to this?_

_“I do not know,” she whispered in self-hatred before taking in a deep breath. “But I will find out_.”

_And with that, she disappeared_.

* * *

 Stretching, Merlin slipped out of the bed and made his way towards the bedroom door, opening it and peeking his head out with a snort to see the mass of bodies collapsed in exhaustion, sleeping off the orgy that had taken over the whole village the night before. Everyone was naked and many snoring. It was incredibly silent (other than the snores of course) and he doubted that anyone was awake in the whole village. It would appear there would be no one to bring him food or water for his tub, but given how fed he was he didn’t quite need it, just hadn’t wanted to do so himself as it would make his trip that much shorter, would give him less excuse to not be on the road towards Mercia sooner.

Turning back to his room, Merlin summoned a tub filled with hot water, flowers, rejuvenating herbs and frothy golden bubbles. He disrobed, stepped into the hot water and shivered in pleasure. It was a little _too_ hot but he welcomed the pain as it surrounded him all the way up to his nipples. The sorcerer leaned back against the padded side, resting his arms in the ledge that was under the water, this new position leaving him submerged up to his chin. 

The silence bothered him, so with a flash of his eyes the shining beings of light appeared, the lithe males dancing over the room, around the tub, music with no human origin echoed softly off of the walls all around him.

Slowly but surely the comforting heat of the water, with the music and the lithe dancers, drew Merlin back to sleep. He dosed off trustingly, knowing his magic would keep him from slipping in under the waters or something like that. Merlin wasn’t sure how long he’d been sleeping before he finally started to dream, but when he groaned and shifted in the water, blinking his eyes open to find Arthur naked and slipping into the water with him, he smiled sadly, still not sure whether the ability to have the blonde in his dreams was more of a torture or not.

The demon inside of him jolted in shock at the mere sight of the blonde.

“I need to stop dreaming of you,” he finally whispered, seemingly surprising Arthur, who was in the process of sitting on the opposite side of the tub. “It hurts too much when I wake up and remember you are not here anymore.”

Arthur stared at him in silence for a moment before he leaned back against the opposite side of the tub, facing him with the same authority as a king seated upon his throne. “That would be your fault, wouldn’t it? You’re the one who sent me back to Mercia.”

Even in his dreams Arthur was a brat. It made him homesick for his mate but he pushed it back and contented himself to hungrily devour the sight of the face he wished more than anything to be able to see in waking life. “I cannot bear to see your rejection again, Arthur. I cannot stand to look at you because that is all I see.”

Frustration and fear jumbled on Arthur’s face before he took in a deep breath, let it out slowly passed his lips, and then raised his chin, resting his arms on the inner ledge like Merlin was. “I never realized how much of a coward you are, Merlin.”

That hurt, but he figured since this Arthur was his own imagining this was his own inner feelings, and, to be honest, it was somewhat true. He’d gone to die without any fear whatsoever, but the idea of facing Arthur, the true Arthur, was too much for him to bear. It made him feel like being sick as much as his nightmares did. “You are right, of course. We can just add a coward to the many terrible things I am.”

The frustration returned, as if this had not been the reaction he had been expecting, but Arthur stilled his face and very visibly bit the inside of his cheek as if trying to keep himself from speaking. His nails dug into the wood at his fingertips before he let go of his inner cheek and tried once more. “What sort of demon _are_ you?”

The demon inside of Merlin tilted its head in confusion at the odd provocation.

The sorcerer mimicked its movement instinctively, amusement slowly beginning to seep into the numbness he’d been clinging to so desperately since Arthur’s departure. “An Incubus. We’re sex demons.”

Arthur’s eyes widened in disbelief before he huffed: “You’re being impossible. You _know_ I wasn’t asking you _that_.”

Instead of acknowledging that, Merlin allowed his gaze to drift onto one of the lithe bodies made of pure light, allowing it to distract him from the painful sight seated opposite him. He felt the water shifting and yet still wasn’t prepared to feel the bare foot slip between his thighs to brush against his length, drawing his surprised attention back onto Arthur.

The demon within whimpered desperately at the touch yet remained absolutely still, as if terrified to move an inch and terrify the mate into stopping.

Arthur leaned tranquilly back against the tub, expression nearly blank if it weren’t for the intensity of his eyes as he watched Merlin. Despite the fact that his toes, the sole of his foot, was slowly, experimentally, brushing, caressing, Merlin’s root, his gaze was fixed on Merlin’s eyes. The intensity of that gaze was almost as arousing as the touches, which were quickly encouraging Merlin to half-mast.

“I’ve never done this before,” Arthur noted, voice low. “I had not even known about this practice until the merchant’s wife dared do so in my presence.” He shifted his foot to run the back of his toes up and down the underside of Merlin’s cock. “How does it feel? Do you enjoy this?”

“I enjoy anything you do,” Merlin admitted. “Even when you’re utterly infuriating. I enjoy it all.” He looked away, a flash of Arthur’s horror as he pulled away from Merlin’s true self, racing before his eyes. “Not your fear, though.”

The foot against him paused in its ministrations before it pulled away, leaving Merlin hard and aching. “Do you know what’s disgusting, Merlin? This weakness you’re displaying. It’s _pathetic_.”

The cambion turned to look at the blonde in surprise, a hint of anger seeping into his tone when he asked, very softly: “ _Excuse me_?”

A flash of something close to relief danced over those eyes despite the passive, barely interested expression on his face. “ _Pa-the-tic,”_ Arthur intoned the word mockingly. “Can you even call yourself a demon?” An eyebrow rose. “You’re acting so _weak_.” That chin raised even further. “So _what_ if I was scared? So _what_ if I flinched away? _So what_? Am I not only your Consort but your _Mate_?” His foot slid back purposefully, stroking and rubbing against Merlin, shifting and sliding, quickly teasing it into painful need. “Was I not _terrified_ the first night you slid into my body? And yet you did not run away like some coward _then_. Did you?”

“That was different,” Merlin countered immediately. “I _had_ to do that. Bayard was hinting he’d give you away to someone else if I did not take you. He’d know if I hadn’t because Owain would’ve told him I was still actively feeding just as much on others in the castle, which would’ve betrayed my not feeding on you. I _had_ to do it to _protect_ you.”

Arthur chuckled darkly, clearly unconvinced. “Maybe you _had_ to do it the first time… but what is your excuse for continuing after you came inside of me? If it was all just to protect me why didn’t you slip out of me then?”

Merlin’s lips parted before he closed and pulled them in a grim line, lowering his gaze onto the Gebo and Taiwan runes on his hand. 

“You weren’t doing your _duty_ , Merlin, and _protecting_ me was the excuse you gave yourself to take what you wanted,” Arthur declared dryly. 

He flinched back and realized that that very well might have been the truth. It made him sick to his stomach. “You’re right.” He let out a ragged breath. “I wanted you from the moment I saw you in the dungeons, so I _took_ you.”

Arthur’s lips curled as his foot continued to massage, to caress.

“I am more disgusting than I even realized,” Merlin hissed in self-disgust as he leaned back and covered his eyes with his forearm, thus missing the way Arthur’s eyes widened in horror and slight panic. “I am lucky to have had you as long as I did.”

There was hesitation before Arthur’s foot abandoned his cock to trail a slow trek up his body. “You seem to think the problem is your demonic side, but if you ask me, Merlin, your humanity is the one that keeps rejecting me.” He traced a little design over Merlin’s heart with his toes. “If you were _all_ demon you would not have cared. I could have run and screamed and told you I hated you, that you disgusted me, and yet you would still be inside me right now.”

Merlin gulped, conflicted at the imagery and the reaction it brought out in him. “I would never desecrate you like that.”

“Desecrate?” Arthur’s voice lowered in clear unhappiness. “So you will give everyone else that which I own, but you will refuse me my wish?”

The sorcerer let his forearm fall from his face as he eyed the version of Arthur no doubt conjured thanks to his inner desires. “What do you wish for, Arthur?” Because, whatever it was, that wish had to be Merlin’s, even if only a subconscious one.

Arthur hesitated, took in a deep, visibly fortifying breath, and then said while staring into his eyes: “I want you to show me it again, show me what you hide from me, show me what made me run from you - what made you turn from me.”

He reared back into the tub in utter terror. “ ** _No_**.”

“This is a _dream_ , Merlin.” Arthur rolled his eyes with annoyance. “What exactly do you think will happen? And even if it were actually happening, I would have already seen it. What harm are you causing exactly?”

That logic was hard to fight with, and yet… “I dream about you because at least _here_ you do not rightfully fear me.”

Frustration returned to that face before it was quickly chased away by sheer determination. “Aren’t you angry with me, Merlin? Aren’t you furious? I am your Mate. I am your Consort. You told me time and time again that you were a demon, a beast, a monster, and despite your constant warnings I swore over and over again that you would never frighten me, and yet the second you showed me your true self I rejected you. That makes me a liar, doesn’t it, Merlin?” His foot lowered from Merlin’s rapidly beating heart to his cock once more, his eyes catching and holding Merlin’s as he talked in that ever lower voice. “Aren’t you furious? You _should_ be. I lied to you. I was a dirty whore who sullied himself the second you showed him your true self. I was disgusting.”

“ _Do_ ** _not_** _talk about yourself like that_ ,” Merlin whispered softly, horrified, terrified, that his mind was spewing such horrible words.

“But it’s true,” Arthur pushed, voice nearly as seductive as his touches. “I was a coward. A liar. A troth-breaker. I let you down, Merlin.”

“ _Stop it_ ,” Merlin nearly begged as he gripped his hair.

“I was an ungrateful sod who used you, used your feelings for me, took _everything_ you could give me, yet when you needed me to return it I wouldn’t.” There was hellish intensity in that provoking tone. “I whispered how much I loved you but when it was time to prove it I showed how weak my feelings truly were.”

“ _Stop. Talking_.” His body was shaking, trembling, from his lack of control over himself, the same lack of control that had lost him his mate in the first place.

“ _I_ betrayed _you_.” And yet this manifestation of Arthur would not stop, pushed on, even when it was obvious Merlin was about to break - pushed even _harder_ when it was obvious Merlin was about to break. “You shouldn’t have let me go when I turned my back on you, Merlin, you should have _killed_ me.”

“ ** _SHUT UP_**!” Merlin snarled, having moved before he’d even realized it, looming intimidatingly over Arthur, pinning him back against the tub viciously. Like before his fury had gotten the best of him, and the demon had been too close to the surface, and this was a dream. It was a mixture of all those elements that had the form he hid so desperately return to the forefront despite his best efforts to keep it hidden. And yet here he was, once more, not even safe from this in his dream anymore. Even here he was defeated, his normally blue eyes now demonic black, his already pale skin pallid like death, his features sharper, ears pointed, fangs visible behind his lips, nails claw-like, and demonic writing etched into his skin. Even in his dreams Merlin was reminded of the monster he truly was.

He closed his eyes tightly and hung his head in utter shame that he had had to destroy happy moments even in his dreams.

Silence wore on between them, and just as he was about to pull away he felt it, a soft hand on his jaw lifting his face up for better inspection.

Gulping in surprise at the touch, Merlin’s eyes flew open, finding Arthur staring up at him in wide-eyed shock, and yet there wasn’t fear in those eyes. Amazement filled those beautiful blues, his lips parted but not in the need to scream, more like the shock of what he was seeing had left him slack-jawed. Instead of pulling away from him, Arthur was reaching out towards him, was touching him. 

“Is this…?” Arthur’s gaze took in his black eyes, the demonic writing contrasting darkly all over his pallid skin, and hesitated on the fangs, before they rose back to his eyes. “Is this the _real_ you, Merlin? Is this, do you _hide_ this? With magic?” Arthur’s other hand rose to trail curiously, experimentally, over the marks on his body. “I can actually _feel_ the outlines of the symbols, why is that? What do they mean? Are they decorative or do they have a purpose? Do they hurt when I touch them? Can you feel my touch especially sensitively? Or does it merely feel the same way it would if I touched your normal skin? Where do they go when you’re the other you? Do they go under your skin or are they merely glamoured invisible?”

Merlin’s body trembled, never having been touched in this form before and not used to the sensation. He gulped. Honestly, his mind was quickly being overwhelmed by the extreme happiness he was feeling right now, even if it wasn’t real, even if this was his own mind giving him what he’d never allowed himself to dream could happen. Even if only until he awoke, he wanted to indulge in this fantasy.

“Do Incubus all look like this, Merlin? Does your mother look like this? And if she does, can she shift to look human like you do or is that because you’re a Cambion?” Arthur fired off more and more questions, not seeming to even realize Merlin had yet to answer one. “Are the fangs and the claws a demon or dragon trait? And what—?” And then he went absolutely still and silent.

The contrast was so jarring it forced the eyes Merlin had not realized he’d closed open, and he glanced down into Arthur’s face in confusion, wondering why he’d gone so silent. Arthur wasn’t looking at him anymore. Well, that was not true. Arthur was not looking at his _face_ anymore. Arthur’s head was slightly tilted downwards, his eyes wide, his lips parted, his breathing somewhat erratic, as he stared in utter shock at Merlin’s cock.

While it was definitely _much_ larger than it usually was, both in length and girth, Merlin knew that was not exactly what had Arthur so transfixed. Like the rest of Merlin, this part of him betrayed the demonic, inhumane side, maybe even more than the rest of his body. The cockhead might be larger but unlike its rounded human form, the demon’s boasted of a pointed tip which no doubt had been designed to aid in penetration. That pointed tip tapered into a smooth, soft head and led down to the _more_ than generous shaft from which protruded multiple ridges. It had to be terrifying to behold.

Just as Merlin was about to pull away, Arthur reached out and touched him _there_.

The cambion let out a breathless cry. If his skin itself had been incredibly sensitive, this part of him was even more so, his cock throbbing so strongly it caused ripples in the water.

A stuttered breath escaped Arthur as he pulled his hand back, and then, slowly, returned it to Merlin’s cock and, with a little more confidence, he not only touched it once more, but tried to wrap his fingers around the shaft, not managing to do so at all. A breathless groan escaped Arthur’s lips as he realized his failure to do so, and he gave a slow, very careful, very cautious, very experimental stroke.

A growl reverberated in the cambion’s throat, the sound completely inhuman in its pleasure, and yet instead of being scared by the sound, Arthur’s breathing intensified as he shifted his own hips slightly and strengthen his grip around Merlin as best as he could given his awkward grip, seeming utterly fascinated by the feel of the multiple protruding, prominent ridges digging into his palm.

It was while watching the arousal darkening as a flush on that golden skin that Merlin finally admitted to himself what he had never wanted to: he desperately wanted to take Arthur in this form. Even if only in this dream he had to know what it could be like. He’d never previously allowed himself to dream, much less dare hope, that something like this would be possible in reality, but this dream, this beautiful - heartbreaking dream…

Merlin pulled away to lean back against the opposite side of the tub, and yet Arthur did not let go of him and instead moved with him. The blonde’s eyes were darkened with lust. He seemed to have forgotten all about his many questions, and in fact, he didn’t let even Merlin accommodate himself.

Shoving Merlin back hard against the tub impatiently, Arthur straddled his lap very clumsily in his haste, using the buoyancy of the water to help keep himself somewhat afloat as he reached behind him to once more grab Merlin’s cock, bringing that pointed tip to his entrance and shivering when he lowered himself down on it enough for the very tip to breach him.

Honestly, Merlin was too afraid to do anything and wake up, so he somehow managed to stay completely still, watching Arthur as the blonde shifted, spreading his thighs more, opening himself more, determination cutting through the arousal on his face just a little. He looked like he was on a gods’ given crusade, and looked _far_ more interested in getting Merlin’s cock inside of him than he had been about removing the Dragonblade from the stone. The blonde growled when the size of the cockhead proved more difficult than he’d apparently initially expected, and then he turned to Merlin and kissed him, black eyes, fanged mouth, and all.

Begging the gods not to wake up, Merlin wrapped his arms around Arthur and pulled him violently, painfully, to his chest as he gave in, kissing him viciously. Honestly, he wasn’t quite sure what to do with the fangs, and it was difficult not to cut the blonde’s mouth and tongue with them, but he did his best while so close to losing all rationality, especially with Arthur not only _not_ trying to get away from him, but groaning desperately into his mouth, wrapping his arms around Merlin’s neck, and shifting his hips to try and fight the large cockhead passed his tight ring of nerves.

The demon was, quite honestly, a little disoriented and incredibly overwhelmed right now. It was needy and happy and wary and confused, very _very_ confused. 

Merlin ignored its strange inner struggles as he kissed Arthur hungrily, tasting his sweet taste and trying not to cry from having missed it. “I could feed from the world and yet nothing would ever be as sweet as you,” he accused viciously, resentfully, against those lips. “Why must you be my favorite taste?”

Arthur arched his back and whimpered in response, his grip around Merlin’s neck loosening so he could dig his hands into Merlin’s hair instead, holding him tightly, as if refusing to let him go, to let him move away. A sob escaped his lips and was swallowed by Merlin’s when, no matter how hard he tried, Arthur was unable to get more than Merlin’s tip inside of him despite the relentless pressure of his pushing back against that member.

At the sound the demon became more animated than it had since the mate had left them. It paced and snarled and clawed, it urged Merlin’s hips to ease upwards, to apply more pressure against that entrance.

Lips yanked away from Merlin’s so Arthur could hide his face in Merlin’s neck and whimper. “It won’t—why won’t it—!?” He sounded pitiful in denied need. “Merlin _please_! I need—-!”

“What do you need?” Merlin whispered into his hair even as he began to tease Arthur’s tight hole with small thrusts, each one pressing a little harder against that resisting ring.

“ _My Mate’s cock_ ,” Arthur answered immediately with no shame.

“This cock?” Merlin wanted to know as he subtly tested the resistance of that entrance. He did not want to use magic to loosen it, wanted to conquer it with his cock alone. “This monstrous, inhuman, _demonic_  cock?”

“ _Oh gods_ ,” Arthur groaned as he hid his face harder into Merlin’s neck, yet could do nothing to hide the thickening scent of his arousal. “ _Yes, please_.”

“But Arthur,” Merlin whispered into his ear, feeling the shivers his voice induced in the blonde. “It might tear you in two.” He punctuated those words by shifting his hands from Arthur’s back to his hips, and easing the blonde down harder onto his cock, feeling the ring give a tiny bit, allowing him slightly more inside.

Arthur reached his hands out to grab the edge of the tub on his either side, knuckles milky white with the strength of his grip. “I can take you, Mate,” he grunted out, face twisted in discomfort, and yet the stickiness beginning to drip from his tight hole to coat Merlin’s cock proved this was not without its pleasure. “Claim me in this form and any other you have, take your eager mate in them all. No matter what shape you take, no matter how foreign, inhuman, it might be, I can take it, and I will _love_ it.”

Hearing the words he wished so desperately to hear in waking life, Merlin cry out a tortured sound as he held Arthur prisoner by his hips and began to lose himself to his desperate attempts to breach him. While a part of him wanted to use magic so he could more quickly, more easily, be buried inside of Arthur, a much more primal, dominant part of him wanted more than anything else to prove Arthur’s words true, to prove to _himself_ that his mate’s body could take the demonic and the human. That it was made for every side of him. A part of Merlin’s mind started to forget this was just a dream, it was so lost in the realness, in the physicality.

And then the tight ring of nerves gave way just a little bit more, and while it had not given way that much more, it was _just enough_ for his cockhead to force its way pass that ring and bury itself into Arthur’s tight entrance.

The blonde sobbed over him, knees wide on the tub’s floor on each side of Merlin’s hips, his cock half-hard bobbed between them. Only the head of Merlin’s cock was somewhat inside of him, it was that tight of a fit, and yet instead of trying to give his body some time to adjust itself to the sizable girth Arthurpressed his hips back. At first nothing gave, and then it slid in a little more, not much, but enough that the cockhead was completely inside of his heat.

Seeing that desperation was all Merlin needed. “Steel yourself, Arthur.”

As always, when he heard those words a shudder raced down Arthur’s spine and his eyes darkened as he shifted his position once more, leaning to rest with their chests touching, his arms around Merlin’s neck. He sucked and teased Merlin’s earlobe between his teeth while whispering: “ _Teach my body your shape, Mate._ ”

Tightening his grip on Arthur’s hips so completely that his claws pierced that golden skin and caused crimson to seep into the water surrounding them, Merlin reveled in Arthur’s pained yet pleasured sounds as he started a slow, relentless, invasion of his body. Every inch was a fight, and if it wasn’t for the way Arthur’s body lubricated itself Merlin would have found himself unable to slip in as much as he could. It also didn’t help that the ridges on his cock provided extra resistance, pressing into Arthur’s body almost as if to latch onto his insides and never let go.

And yet, even with Arthur’s self-lubrication, Merlin had yet to even get halfway inside of him. He circled with his hips, trying to open the prince up more but Arthur was still so incredibly tight Merlin was beginning to believe it would be impossible to fully enter him without the assistance of magic. He tried to continue that torturously slow penetration yet, after a certain point, found himself unable to slip in any further.

“ _Don’t stop,_ ” Arthur begged.

“You’re too—-.”

Arthur snarled and latched onto Merlin’s shoulder with his teeth viciously, breaking through the skin so deeply that Merlin’s blood gushed forwards and joined his own in the water around them, which was turning more and more crimson by the second. “ _Don’t. Stop_.”

The pleasure that pulsated from his root to its tip from Arthur’s bestial actions was starting to quickly become unbearable. It made Merlin lose a bit of his mind, his reason. 

The demon was much more present now, and it was what slipped its cock outside of that body despite the mate’s snarl and the tightening of his teeth, which caused more of Merlin’s blood to slip free. It purred and took that blood in its hand before reaching down and slipping his fingers inside of the mate, covering his insides with that blood. It used more and more of its own blood to completely coat the inside of the mate, mixing it with his own desire before gathering the mate’s blood and using it to lather its own cock from tip to base. Only once it was pleased at its results did the demon finally return its cock to that puckered, sore entrance and push in once more.

Merlin’s eyes widened at the difference, his cock slipping in quickly back to the place within Arthur’s body that he’d assumed would be the farthest point of penetration, and yet, with them covered in each other’s scarlet life, Merlin felt his cock slowly yet surely continuing to spread Arthur’s body apart to make its home once more inside of him. When he reached the halfway point Merlin was honestly completely shocked this was possible without magic. Could blood really make that much of a difference? It _must_ , that was the only explanation - not only for the further penetration -but for the odd, tingly, unexplainable feeling filling him now. It was almost like magic and yet he knew he wasn’t using any - yet it felt _so much_ like magic it was disconcerting and disorienting.

Arthur reached between their bodies, his fingers investigating where Merlin’s body pierced his, only to slowly lower down that hard, pulsating rod, his breathing accelerating the longer it took for him to reach Merlin’s lap. “ _You’re still not even halfway inside_ ,” he whispered in shock once he finally touched Merlin’s dark curls. 

It was that awe that had Merlin’s hips moving, choosing to forget the long, onwards journey in favor of rutting inside of the blonde roughly, keeping Arthur trapped by his hips as he started to force more and more of his length inside of him with each invasive thrust. “Bite and scratch me as much as you need,” he whispered into Arthur’s ear, “but I won’t stop until I am fully buried inside of you.”

While Arthur cried at that threat, it was a desirous sound. “ _Claim me, Master_ ,” Arthur begged into his ear. “Claim me in any, every, form you have, natural or unnatural I care not for it is _yours_. Show my body whose mate it is, whose cock it cradles within. Any part of you you keep hidden from me, _give_ it to me, mark its place deep inside of me. No matter what it is, what you are, I accept it, I need it, I want it, I love it - because no matter how inhuman it might turn out to be - it is _you_ , so it is **_mine_**.” His nails dug punishingly into Merlin’s skin. “And I will _never_ forgive you if you deny me it.”

Letting go of Arthur’s hips, Merlin slipped his hands between Arthur’s arms and his body, curving his own arms so he was latched onto Arthur’s shoulders, and with that he shoved the blonde down viciously while forcefully thrusting up deeper and deeper, eliciting a series of ever louder wails out of the prince as with each thrust his cock forced itself deeper and deeper inside of him until finally, with one mighty, inhuman roar, Merlin slammed his hips up once, twice, three times, and on the fourth finally found himself buried to the hilt inside of his boy.

He breathed heavily, unable to believe that the demon’s cock was completely buried inside of Arthur’s body. Even if this was just a dream it was one he’d never dared to have. And yet, and yet, never had he had such a realistic dream as this one before. The ones with his mother did not count as they were either due to a telepathic bond, or because she might have the ability to Dream Walk.

Either way, this was the most realistic dream he had ever had, it was so realistic it made him pause, and wonder, idiotically, whether this might be real. But he was alone, and Arthur was in Mercia, and there was no way Arthur could’ve found him… right?

And yet, being buried inside of his Consort felt _real_. There was no slight hazy numbness, only excruciatingly intense pleasure.

Arthur’s body was tensed around him, his lips parted as he breathed heavily against the side of Merlin’s face, his breaths hot, warm, and uneven.He felt real. He felt incredibly, confusingly, terrifyingly real.

“Arthur?” Merlin asked softly, shakily.

“ _Give me a moment_ ,” Arthur begged throatily, little gasps and breathes escaping his lips as his ass clenched sporadically around Merlin’s cock.

“You’re not _really_ here, are you?” Merlin felt Arthur tense under his touch and felt equal parts terrified and hopeful. “You could not have turned from Mercia… could not have found me…” It was Arthur’s silence that made him breathless. “No… impossible. You would not have known that I was in this village—-.”

“The naked, passed out remnants of a village-wide orgy would be enough of an indication that you were here,” Arthur announced softly into his collarbone.

Merlin’s fingers dug into his back yet he made sure not to dig his claws in. “But to find the exact room I was in—-.”

“Everyone else is asleep, considering the only sound is coming from this room it wouldn’t be too hard to find,” Arthur whispered into the dip in his throat.

He’d regret it if it was the case, but in his panic Merlin’s eyes flashed, the sorcerer trying to wake himself from his dream… only to realize in growing panic that he _was_ awake. This was Arthur. This was  _really_ Arthur. His throat was dry, his eyes wide, his demon not _at all_ surprised, betraying to the cambion that its previously confused state had been due to the fact that unlike him, the demon had immediately realized that the mate truly  _was_  with them.

And it hadn’t warned him.

The _bastard_.

And then… _and then_ Merlin realized what he was doing… to _Arthur._ His eyes widened in horror as his hands shifted to Arthur’s hips and started to try and lift him off.

Obviously anticipating this reaction, Arthur made himself as heavy as possible, leaning heavily into his knees and steeling himself. “ _Stop it_ , Merlin.”

“Arthur, I would not have—-!”

“I _know_ that,” Arthur hissed against his chest. “Why do you think I _let_ you believe this was a dream? Why do you think I provoked you every way possible? You _idiot_?”

Merlin froze. “You were _trying_ to get me to lose control? Why would you—-? After what you—-.?”

“ _I_ did _nothing_!” Arthur pressed his forehead roughly into Merlin’s chest. “You were knocked off of your horse, and you lost consciousness for a few seconds, and by the time I got to you and you opened your eyes…” His voice broke yet it was more furious than anything else. “ _I_ did not _reject_ you, Merlin. _You_ rejected _me_.”

Confusion welled inside of Merlin. “That’s not—-.”

“Whatever you think happened, _didn’t_.” Arthur wouldn’t raise his gaze, wouldn’t look up at him. “It was the Dragonblade messing with you. It was the third test. I do not know exactly how long whatever it did to you might’ve seemed like, but it was only a couple of seconds for us. You opened your eyes and you wouldn’t touch me, wouldn’t let me touch you - you - you - _you pushed me away_.” His nails dug into Merlin’s skin. “You wouldn’t explain why you seemed to _hate_ me, you denied me, you flinched away from me, and you _sent me away_. Do you even _understand_ what I’ve been going through trying to get back to you without even knowing _why_ you turned your back on me like that? _Why_ you rejected me?”

Horror churned nauseatingly in Merlin’s gut as he shook his head. “No, that can’t be—it can’t be—you—-.” And then he realized something that sent chills down his spine. If this was true. If what he’d seen hadn’t actually happened… that meant this was real… and it meant _this_ was Arthur’s first introduction to that horrible side of Merlin. “ _Gods below_.” He tried once more to yank Arthur off of him. “I’m so sorry, I should never have desecra—-.” 

Arthur pulled away far enough to slap Merlin so extremely hard his face swung with the blow. 

Merlin’s eyes widened in shock at the stinging pain, his hands remaining at Arthur’s hips but did not try to remove him.

“I will _not_ apologize for that,” Arthur warned him in a low, threatening voice, fury visible in his gorgeous blue eyes. “You should just consider yourself _lucky_ it was a slap and not a punch!” He grit his teeth. “I _still_ might punch you!”

He blinked, and blinked, and then looked down at Arthur in growing confusion.

“You have _no_ faith in me!” Arthur snarled at him. “You did not even _try_ to fight for me! You just put up a damned wall around yourself and shut me out! You rejected me!” He slapped Merlin again, harder this time, on his other cheek, his body trembling and his voice breaking. “You bound yourself to me as my Master, my Mate, but at the _first_ sign of problems you threw me away like I was some disposable piece of trash! As if I were _not_ your Consort! As if I was just some _hole_ you could do away with when it was no longer convenient!”

Merlin’s cheeks were stinging with the strength behind each slap, but that didn’t bother him, what bothered him, as he stared up in utter astonishment at Arthur, was the pain twisted on his features. Arthur had been hurt, was _hurting_ , because of his actions, and _that_ hurt much more than his face ever could.

“Listen to me _very_ closely, my _stupid_ Mate,” Arthur hissed as he reached out and gripped Merlin’s hair tightly, punishingly, forcing Merlin to hold his gaze as he leaned in closer, voice low, threatening, eyes murderous. “I did not _want_ the damned Dragonblade, I _do_ not want it still. _Fie_ on that accursed sword! In fact, do you want to know what I did with it after you sent me away with a cruel snap of your fingers? I _abandoned_ it. Did you hear that? The blade you sacrificed us for? I gave it to Percy and I left it to come back after you so I could beat the _shit_ out of you.” His grip was incredibly painful on Merlin’s hair, was so tight it was trembling. “I did not come on this crusade for the Dragonblade, I came for my Dragon Lord, for my Demon Mate, for my _imbecilic_ Master.” His voice was so low it was almost inaudible as he snarled through his teeth. “Merlin, if you ever—- _if you_ ** _ever_** —deny me my right or place in your life ever again, if you _ever_ try to send me away, try to distance yourself from me, reject my touch, turn your back on me…Merlin, if you _ever_ leave me…” He leaned closer in steely promise, looking very much like the actual demon of their relationship as he swore with stony conviction: “ _I will_ ** _kill_** _you_.”

The human side of Merlin was completely speechless, completely unbelieving. Not only wasn’t Arthur disgusted or terrified with this monstrous side of him, but he lacked fear to the degree where he not only openly threatened to murder him — _but_ ** _hit_** _him_. Maybe Merlin truly _was_ the demon he tried so desperately to hide, because those acts of violence not only didn’t anger or hurt him, didn’t phase him, but they made him rejoice. Not only was Arthur not disgusted, but he didn’t fear him, he trusted Merlin - even when it was so horribly visible how lacking in humanity he truly was - to allow him to vent his (truly) righteous and deserved anger.

The demon inside of Merlin, which was very much a driving force at the moment given his visage, not only took the abuse happily, without a hint of anger or reproach for having been hit, but growled throatily, pleased, so pleased, in fact, that Merlin’s cock throbbed violently inside of Arthur in response.

At the feeling Arthur’s eyes darkened. He was still very visibly pissed, but the breathy quality to his voice proved that the sensation was starting to distract him. And yet he remained strong, somehow, every bit the vision of a king as he now loomed over Merlin in anger. “ _Beg_ for forgiveness, Merlin.”

“ _I’m sorry_ ,” he whispered immediately, truthfully, completely genuinely.

Arthur slapped him, again.

Merlin groaned as his cock throbbed harder inside of his mate.

“You don’t seem genuine enough to me, Master,” Arthur hissed the words, his own voice tinged with arousal despite the way he was visibly fighting it. “You _doubted_ me, you did not even give me the opportunity to figure out _what_ I had done to displease you - much less explain myself.” He slapped Merlin’s cheek again and then let out a whimper when the cock inside of him throbbed _so hard_ it actually managed to move Arthur’s hips. “You doubted our bond to the point where you threw me away, an ‘I’m sorry’ does not cut it.”

“ _I’m so sorry, Arthur, you’re right,”_ Merlin whispered apologetically, self-hatefully. “ _I should never had turned you away. I should never have sent you away. I should never have refused your touch.”_

The crimson water around them began to bubble yet neither noticed.

Another slap, just as hard, caused another throb, just as hard, to rock Arthur’s hips with its force. “ ** _What else_**?”

The stinging in his cheeks was driving his cock wild but Merlin was fighting his desire to move, to fuck into his glorious mate, the mate who he’d wronged, the mate who—-who’d seen him at his ugliest and hadn’t shirked away but had eagerly taken him into his body. “I should not have doubted you, should have known it wasn’t you. I will not do it again, I swear, I will never doubt you again. If you can still love me knowing _this face_ , then I shall _never_ —-.”

Arthur used his grip on Merlin’s hair to yank that head back and curve his neck painfully. “ ** _If_**?” His eyes were pools of dark water. “Are you **_still_** doubting me, Merlin?”

Merlin’s hips thrusted once instinctively into Arthur with a sob yet given how tight he was he did not manage to move inside of the blonde, more like bounced him up and down. “ _N-no_.”

“It doesn’t _sound_ that way. It _sounds_ like you might still have some _doubt_. It _sounds_ like I have not made my point clear enough to get across to you.” Arthur surged forwards, biting down punishingly on the side of Merlin’s neck, drawing more blood.

The demon yowled in ecstasy and thrusted up into the mate again, and again, and when thetight body merely bobbed with the movement once more it snarled and gripped the mate’s hips, holding him in place as it rocked its hips, finally managing to move inside of him. It let out a desperate whine as the mate’s insides squeezed and rubbed against the ridges, causing earth-shattering waves of pleasure to ripple through its body.

Arthur, for his part, sobbed into Merlin’s neck, the sound long-drawn and almost inhuman. His teeth tightened in Merlin’s skin, keeping him in place even as he arched his hips to allow that monstrous cock deeper access inside of him.

“Does it hurt, Arthur?” Merlin worried even as he found himself unable to stop moving that massive rod. “Are you okay? Does it hurt?”

Something inside of Arthur visibly softened at the question, and he unlatched his teeth from Merlin’s neck enough to whisper: “ _You only hurt me when you reject me, Merlin_.”

Those words broke something inside of him.

“ ** _I’m so sorry!_** ” Tears gathered in Merlin’s eyes as he wrapped his arms around Arthur, pulling him hard into his chest and burying his shame-filled face in Arthur’s golden hair. “ ** _I’m so sorry! I’m so sorry! I’m so sorry!_** ” And yet, even as he apologized his thrusts were starting to grow longer, faster, deeper, his cock beginning to more easily plow itself inside of Arthur’s tight warmth. “ ** _I was a coward! I was an idiot! I only thought of myself! I only thought of my own pain - never even stopping to think about_** **_yours._ ** ”

Magic exploded aggressively underneath the bubbling crimson in a multitude of colors.

“ _What. Else_?” Arthur breathed heavily against Merlin’s skin. “What will happen the next time you doubt me? Doubt us?”

“ ** _I won’t_** ,” Merlin swore with a sob.

Arthur dug his nails down the sides of Merlin’s waist. “ _Not. Good. Enough._ ”

Merlin threw his head back and whined as he started jackhammering himself into Arthur uncontrollably. “If I—if I ever doubt—-if I—!” He shivered, goosebumps raising on his skin as he stuttered out his ragged breath. “W-what do I do, Arthur? W-what do you want me to do? T-tell me what you want me to do!”

Arthur smiled victoriously against his skin even as he grunted and groaned at the huge rod plundering his innermost depths. “ ** _Fuck me_** , Master,” he ordered breathily. “Anytime you have a doubt - any time you are not sure - bury your cock - human - demon - _any other_ you might have - deep inside of me, and let this body of mine drain you of all your doubts, of all your worries, along with your seed.”

Breaking out into uncontrollable shivers, Merlin pressed desperate, adoring kisses into Arthur’s hair. “Can I? Arthur? Can I truly have you no matter what I am? Will your body accept my cock so willingly no matter _what_ twisted form I take? Can you truly love me no matter sort of monstrosity I am? Can I truly have you? Can I? Can I really?” He could hear his own breathless hope in his voice as he pleaded. “Will you truly love me? Not fear me? Not be disgusted by me? Can you truly love this face? This body? Can you truly accept this cock? Not just for tonight, but every night the demon in me needs to be free? Needs to sit inside of you? Can you welcome its seed?”

“You _idiot_ ,” Arthur moaned distraughtly. “Can’t you _tell_ the answer? Can’t you _feel_ the way my body is burning with desire? Can’t you feel the way my hole, my insides, cling to your cock in wanton need? Every ridge digs inside of me, tickling and stimulating parts of me I did not know I had.” He reached for Merlin’s hand and brought it to his stomach, pressing it hard against his abs. “Feel the part of you claiming me so amazingly, my love.”

Merlin let out a tortured sound, not only because of those words, but because he could actually _feel_ his cock as it fought its way inside of his boy. He pulled away enough to stare down in awe, and suddenly he understood Valiant’s obsession with watching himself. It elicited a deep hunger inside of him, a right of possession he’d never seen before as he _watched_ the outline of his cock slightly bulge Arthur’s stomach outwards in an outline of its size and girth.

How was Arthur handling this without the assistance of magic? That should be impossible! And yet, somehow, the massive rod was hilt deep inside of the blonde’s body, and not only wasn’t Arthur sobbing in pain, but his face was twisted in absolute pleasure, as if he’d never been happier than he was now, impaled by that demonic cock which filled him so tightly it was a battle to fuck into him.

Arthur wasn’t disgusted with him. Wasn’t scared of him. Wasn’t forcing himself to bear this in order to please Merlin. 

Arthur _accepted_ this inhuman side of him. Arthur _desired_ this inhuman side of him. Arthur was visibly going _insane with pleasure_ by being fucked by this inhuman side of him.

The bubbling, hot, living crimson surrounding them slowly seeped up inside of Arthur’s body through that place where they were connected, thickly coating not only Arthur’s insides but the cock fucking into it. More and more of that crimson filled Arthur, soaking into his body, his tissues, muscles, deeper, spreading—-simultaneously slipping into Merlin’s cock through his weeping slit, spreading warmth and electric jolts of need as it filled him, slowly making its way through his cock towards his balls.

Had Merlin not been so shellshocked staring at his mate he might’ve realized what was happening, and how unnatural it was, but he couldn’t concentrate - did not notice - anything that wasn’t Arthur. He stared at his beautiful, precious boy, at the mate he _did_ ** _not_** _deserve,_ in wide-eyed, open awe as realization knocked the breath right out of his lungs.

_Arthur_ …

Arthur _loved_ him.

Arthur _truly_ loved him.

Arthur truly loved _all_ of him.

In seconds something seemed to shatter inside of him as Merlin wrapped his arms tightly around Arthur once more, body trembling, voice breathless, nearly terrified, and very much agonized as he whispered hoarsely into Arthur’s hair. “ ** _I love you_**.”

The magic exploding with bright colors inside of the bubbling crimson began to do so with such force that the water filled with their spilt, combined blood shifted from side to side, like turbulent, stormy waters at sea.

Arthur froze in Merlin’s hold before suddenly pushing away to stare at him in wide-eyed, breathless shock. “ _Say it again_ ,” he ordered while staring into Merlin’s face.

Merlin stilled inside of Arthur and stared down into his face, terrified yet glorying in the realization. “I _love_ you.”

“ _Again_ ,” Arthur whimpered as he surged forwards to press adoring kisses all over Merlin’s face.

A purr of happiness escaped his lips as he trailed his hands roughly down Arthur’s back to grab fistfuls of his ass, kneading each cheek roughly, proprietarily. “I **_love_** you.”

“ _Again._ ” Arthur demanded imperially as his cock throbbed against Merlin’s stomach. “Say it _again._ ”

Merlin kissed Arthur hungrily, devouring his lips and his groans as he used his grip on the boy's ass to begin sliding him up and down his rigid pole. “ **I** **love** **you** ,” he whispered roughly against those lips, “ ** _wife_**.”

Arthur broke out into shivers, goosebumps lifting on his skin as he cried an animalistic, lust-filled sound into Merlin’s mouth, his ass clenching desperately around Merlin’s root as he came, spurting his desire against Merlin’s chest.

“I love you, my beautiful, loving wife,” Merlin breathed against Arthur’s lips as he moved inside of him, each ridge teasing and kissing deep inside of Arthur’s body possessively, leaving its mark of claim within. “I love you, my loyal, magnificent mate.” He forced Arthur’s asscheeks tighter together so the boy would feel his penetration even more fully - as if that were even possible. “I love you, my glorious, incomparable Consort.” He could feel himself growing closer and closer to that white heat, pleasure coiling in the pit of his stomach. “I love you, my dedicated, passionate lover.” His own breathing was just as erratic as Arthur’s. “I love you, my fiery, fearless prince.” He whimpered at the way Arthur began to shift his hips urgently, clearly trying to bury Merlin’s cock even deeper inside of him. “ _I love you_ , my Arthur.” He sobbed outa choked sound when somehow, _someway_ , Arthur shifted in a way which somehow forced _even more_ of Merlin deep within his body. “ ** _I love you, Arthur_**.”

“ _And I love you,_ ” Arthur promised as he began rocking his hips back into Merlin, causing him to groan without any shame into Merlin’s mouth. “I love your humanity. I love your demon. I’ll love your dragon whenever I meet him. I’ll love any and _every_ part of you, Merlin, and I’ll eagerly, _desperately,_ accept your cock into its rightful home.” He reached down to rub Merlin’s cock’s outline lovingly - adoringly - through his stomach. “I love the feel of you stretching me, Merlin, love the feel of my body learning to fit your form - shifting to wrap around it wantonly.” He groaned piteously into Merlin’s mouth when that cock throbbed violently inside of him. “Mold my body to suit your will, Master. Shape me, change me, shift me within however is needed - however you desire - just as long as your cock is buried inside of me I do not care why or how.”

Merlin let out a tortured sob as he rutted into his love. “ _I will die without you_.”

“You _will_ ,” Arthur agreed passionately upon those lips, “because I will _kill_ you.” He whined when that cock throbbed harder even than last time. “But I will keep your cock. Your cock is _mine,_ Merlin _._ No one can take it from me, keep it from me.” He swiped a lick up those lips to the tip of Merlin’s nose. “Not even _you_.”

His balls were tightening painfully. “You love my cock that much, my love? Even this demonic, inhuman one so desperate to fill you with its seed?”

“ _Yes_! I _do_!” Arthur swore, voice breaking as his hips fucked back harder and harder into Merlin’s ever-sharper thrusts. “Give me my beloved demon’s seed, Master! _Please!_ If I don’t feel it soon I might die!”

Those words went straight to that cock and it was all Merlin could do to keep from cumming immediately inside of his mate. Somehow, though, he held on, continuing to ram himself inside of his delicious home. “Shall I keep this cock, Arthur? Even when in my human form?” He felt the shiver race down Arthur’s spine but pressed on, wondering just how far his precious mate would go for him. “It is the only part of my true self I could stop actively repressing yet keep hidden with a simple glamour so only you and I would be able to see its true form.” He breathed in Arthur’s deepening arousal. “But I suppose that expecting you to constantly warm this cock, fuck this cock, have this cock bulge against your stomach, receive this cock’s seed, is asking a lot.”

Arthur pulled away from Merlin to stare at him with wide yet suspicious eyes. “Can you _really_ do that or are you merely testing me?”

His lips curled and he was about to answer, but then Merlin realized that in this new position Arthur had unknowingly made the cock press harder against his stomach. The sight distracted Merlin immediately as he stopped thrusting and reached down to reverently caress Arthur’s stomach, fingers trailing against that golden skin. “Look how deep inside of you I am,” he whispered in humbled, solemn awe. And then he suddenly realized just _how_ deep he was and frowned in panic as he tore his gaze from the sight to instead look up at Arthur’s face. “Are you _sure_ this does not hurt you? I am not using any magic, so if this is hurting you - even if only a little - you _need_ to tell me.”

For some very odd reason, Arthur’s expression was a mixture of conflicted sadness and devoted tenderness. “Let me show you how it feels,” he purred as he took Merlin’s hands in his, not flinching at the feeling of the claws, and instead brought them to his lips so he could press soft, adoring kisses to them. Arthur shifted his hips slightly before anchoring himself down and very slowly, very sensually, rolling his hips, making love to the cock buried so deeply inside of him. “Lean back and allow yourself to relax, husband, your wife will milk your seed from you.”

Despite nearly cumming at Arthur’s words, Merlin did as told, leaning back obediently and merely gripping the sides of the tub when Arthur placed his hands there. The sorcerer stared up in reverential awe as Arthur writhed slowly above him, not only loving himself up and down that massive cock but rubbing its outline against his stomach in near worship. Those blue, half-hooded eyes never left Merlin’s, as if willing him not to miss a second of the open, unfettered pleasure and lust deepening their color.

Arthur’s body danced sensually over Merlin’s, clenching down tightly as he pressed up on his knees to lift his body as high as he could, only to open himself eagerly as he lowered back down, repeating this over and over again, tightening as if in desperation that Merlin might somehow - impossibly - slip out of him on his way up, only to greedily open up to welcome the cock back again to its rightful place within him on his way down. Soon pleasure darkened those eyes fully, and while Arthur’s upwards motions were not as long as they’d once been his downwards thrusts were deeper, fuller, harder. He gripped his own hair, bitting his bottom lip as he pressed down as hard as physically possible, still visibly seeking more, shifting his hips from side to side, frontwards and backwards, clockwise, counterclockwise. 

“I love you, Arthur,” Merlin whispered, unable to stop himself.

Those hips twitched as Arthur’s toes curled. “Who owns your cock, Master?”

“ _You do_ ,” he responded immediately, truthfully. 

Pleasure rippled visibly over Arthur’s face as he reached down to once more stroke the outline of that cock in reward. “Whose body does your cock worship?”

“ _Yours_ ,” Merlin whimpered, able to somehow feel those strokes like fire trailing up and down his length.

“Whose body can take you so naturally, can take this massive, monstrous cock of yours even without a hint of magical assistance?”

“ **Yours** ,” Merlin groaned dutifully.

“What is my body?” Arthur pressed.

Merlin surged forwards, wrapping his arms around Arthur and pressing a deferential kiss to his heart. “ ** _Home_**.” He felt a shudder race through Arthur’s body.

A gasped moan escaped Arthur’s lips as he breathed heavily, clearly affected by that answer, yet continued on. “W-what is my body _for_ , Master?”

“My cock.” Merlin’s teeth scraped against Arthur’s chest. “My seed.”

“ _Good_ , Master,” Arthur purred encouragingly, clearly pleased. “ _Who_ do you desire?”

“ _My Mate.”_ Merlin licked a rosy nipple hungrily. “My Consort.”

“And who do _I_ desire?”

He hesitated because a part of him was still trying to digest the fact that this was really happening, was shocked and scared and unable to understand how someone as innocent and pure as Arthur, someone as precious and special, could know him for what he truly was and yet still love him. Merlin lowered his gaze and pressed his forehead against Arthur’s heart, a part of him still terrified this might all just be a dream. That was why, when he finally answered, it was soft, barely audible, hesitant, and a more than a little terrified. “Me.”

There was a moment’s silence before Arthur cupped Merlin’s face and raised it so that they were looking into each other’s eyes. “Say it with more conviction, Master. Say it like you truly believe it. Say it. Mean it. _Believe_ it.”

Merlin’s heart clenched as he stared into those beloved eyes, body overflowing with love for his beautiful mate. “For some wondrous, inexplicable reason, you desire **me**.”

Arthur’s lips pulled in a small, encouraging smile. “Who do you love, Master?”

That one was incredibly easy, and ripped itself from his lips with devoted fervor. “ ** _You_**. Only you. _Always_ you.” He pressed open mouth kisses to Arthur’s heart while shifting his body so his knees were raised and bent, gravity sliding Arthur down harder on his cock, trapping him between Merlin’s bent knees and chest. “ **You. You. You. So much. So desperately. So terrifyingly** **you** _.”_

Arthur’s head was thrown back, eyes impossibly wide and lips parted as in this position he was further penetrated. “What—what will you do if you **ever** doubt me or our relationship _ever_ again?”

“ **You**.”

Chuckling in surprise, clearly not having expected Merlin to word it that way, Arthur flashed him a cheeky smile as he leaned back against Merlin’s thighs, hooking his elbows on Merlin’s knees, this new position allowing him to more easily control the pace of his own hips as he returned to moving sensually over Merlin. This new position also gave Merlin a much better view of the journey of his cock inside of his boy.

He stroked that bulge lovingly with the hand that the Gebo and the Tiwaz runes were still burnt into. “If you truly had a womb I would be piercing through it all the way right now, would have destroyed it, shattered it.”

“Silly Mate,” Arthur tutted softly as if chiding a child. “Of course I have a womb, can you not feel the way the tip of your cock is kissing it right _here_?” He placed one hand on Merlin’s and shifted it to press against where his cock’s tip speared deep inside. “Can’t you feel it, Master? Can’t you feel how desperate your cock is to fill my womb with your seed?” He groaned yet grinned filthily when the cock under their joint touch throbbed roughly. “You might’ve fed while we were separated, but this is _so desperate_ to spill inside of me.” That grin grew somewhat evil as he clenched around Merlin. “You did not spill, did you? Even though you thought I would not have you, your body would not give your seed to anyone else, would it?”

That was true, it was completely, a hundred per cent, true. If it was not Arthur, Merlin’s body refused to spill a drop of seed, saving it all - always - for only _him_.

Arthur must’ve read the truth in his face because he was beaming with not only happiness, but pride, and a _very_ obvious sense of not only entitlement, but vast superiority. “My womb is the _only_ place worthy to house your seed, Master.” He licked his lips hungrily. “So please, find your fill in me, and give your mate all the sticky warmth he was denied for too long.”

“Were you not going to milk it from me, wife?” Merlin teased darkly.

“Oh, _I will_ ,” Arthur threatened as he laced his fingers in Merlin’s and shifted to lean heavily against Merlin’s chest, capturing his lips with his as he loved himself on Merlin’s cock. In this position not only could Merlin taste Arthur’s sweet, addicting mouth, but he could _feel_ his cock’s claiming journey outlined through his stomach, and almost immediately he knew he would be losing this match - and yet - what sweet defeat indeed!

Drawing his knees in tighter, changing the angle of the penetration, Merlin’s groan mingled with Arthur’s as he began to move, feeling himself so close. His body begged for more as a strangeness began hardening at his base. Merlin’s thrusts began to strengthen he forced more and more of himself inside of Arthur, feeling a little resistance keeping him from fully being inside, and snarling at it. He was going to cum soon, and when he did, he’d be _completely_ buried inside of his mate. 

The blonde whimpered as the pressure pushed against his entrance. “What—-?”

“ _Steel yourself, Arthur_ ,” Merlin hissed against his lips before fucking harder, ramming himself rougher and rougher until finally, suddenly, he managed to push the whole way inside and buried himself to the hilt as he seeded his mate for the first time in this form. The ridges on his cock unexpectedly expanded, shifting their form to securely latch onto the quivering body clutched around them. They dug into Arthur from deep within and held his body prisoner so it could not move, could not escape, so that that cock could shoot its seed into the deepest part of his warmth.

Arthur yowled as he clawed at Merlin’s body desperately. “It’s hooked inside me, Merlin! It’s not letting me go!” He sounded a mixture of elated and terrified and close to cumming again, the oozing cock trapped between their stomach more than testament to this. “Do you want to seed me so desperately? Master? Do you want your seed so completely inside my womb this badly?” He keened pitifully like a trapped animal. “Why does it feel _so good_?! It shouldn’t feel like this! It’s _too_ good, Merlin!”

Try as he might, all Merlin could utter were wordless, animalistic snarls as he continued to release his claiming essence into his mate, letting out all that his body had refused to before. His cock kept Arthur in place, kept him unable to move, kept the blonde in the perfect position to be seeded in his deepest of places. Only once the last of his sticky warmth had slipped free and settled within his lover did Merlin’s ridges shift back to their previous shape and return to their original size, allowing both bodies to move once more.

“ _Noooooooo…!_ ” Arthur complained despairingly as he started moving immediately. “ _Please_ , Master, _again_. Do it again. Grip me again.  _Master._   **Again**. I need that - _whatever that was_ \- I _need_ it again.” He was breathless, sobbing, grunting and groaning like an animal in heat begging for a rut. “Please, Master! Do it again. _Please_.”

Merlin stared up at his lover in open wonder.

Arthur didn’t just desire Merlin’s true self, he was going _wild_ for it. He raised his hands to his face, to his hair, before lowering one of them to his own mouth and slipping three fingers passed his lips.

That was when Merlin saw it.

Cupping Arthur’s flushed, distraught face, Merlin stared into those pleading eyes. “Arthur? Love? Can you concentrate on my voice for a second?”

“I love you too, Merlin, I love you _so much_ , but **please** —-!” Arthur whined as he circled his hipson Merlin’s, clearly losing himself in the feeling of those ridges teasing his tight insides. “ _Hook me_.” 

That movement was making the overly sensitive ridges tingle even more than before, and it momentarily distracted Merlin as his eyes rolled back into his skull, but with a growl he shook his desire-addled head and tried again. “Arthur, stopped moving and pay attention to what I’m trying to say.”

“Talk and thrust,” Arthur instructed with the authority of a king on his throne issuing edicts.

Merlin almost obeyed, _almost_ , but with a snarl his eyes flashed and his magic forced Arthur’s hips absolutely still, eliciting a whine of despaired complaint from him that was hard to ignore. “Tell me about the sword.”

“You’re stopping me for _that_?” Arthur snarled at him with surprising ferocity. “I don’t know where it is and I don’t _care_. It messed with your head, Merlin, it nearly took you from me! I hope it disappears forever this time!” He glared at Merlin. “Now _move_.”

Merlin fought every instinct that wanted to do exactly that, instead staring into Arthur’s eyes. “This is important, Arthur. Tell me everything that happened to you after I sent you to Mercia with the Dragonblade.”

A whimper of angered despair erupted from Arthur’s lips. “I gave it to Percy and I left. I did not _want_ the sword. I do not _care_ how powerful it is. Or if it can win the war. I _never_ wanted the sword for my own. And because it used my likeness to hurt you _you rejected me, you sent me away_. I **hate** that sword.”

“Is the sword with Percival then?”

“ _No_.” Arthur was glaring at him murderously but seemed to have realized, even through his fog of lustful need, that he wouldn’t get anything he wanted unless he gave Merlin what _he_ wanted, so he was talking, even if through clenched teeth. “He and the others caught up with me and told me it disappeared after I left. They’re out in the village right now resupplying and most probably debating whether to try and wake up the villagers or to just leave them sleeping off last night.” 

“And you have not seen the sword since?”

“I have not, and I hope it _stays_ that way!” Arthur snapped. “We don’t really need it to win the war, Merlin, we just need you and our men. That blade would only cause issues anyway, it’s not only childish but petty _as fuck_!”

Not quite sure what that meant, Merlin stared into those beautiful eyes and couldn’t stop the smile from growing on his face as he raised his own hand up, the back of said hand facing Arthur.

It was obvious the second Arthur saw it. His eyes widened and he gripped Merlin’s hand immediately, turning to survey it. “Since when were there more?”

He had no clue. “I suppose since _yours_ appeared.”

Arthur blinked, blinked again, and then let go of Merlin’s hand to stare at his own… and then noticed what Merlin had. “ _What_ —-?” He stared down at the runic designs dark against his golden skin.

Merlin raised his arm, outstretching it next to Arthur’s, and realized that the symbols were designed in a way that seemed to indicate that they joined up with each other. They shared many of the same runes, such as the Gebo, Raidho, Ehwaz, Othala and Mannaz, and yet each had two runes which were only on their bodies. Merlin’s were the Tiwaz, Thurisaz runes, while Arthur’s were the Jera and Berkano.

Gulping, the blonde looked up at him. “What does this _mean_ , Merlin?”

He stared at the runes in growing suspicion. “I think—-I think _this_ was the third test.”

Arthur blinked. “ _What_?”

“Sacrifice,” Merlin mumbled under his breath. “I sacrificed my life _and_ my demonic desire for you, and you sacrificed the good of Mercia, of Albion, _for me_.” He looked up at Arthur in absolute shock. “I think pushing us apart and seeing how we’d react - if we’d put the other first - _was_ the third test.”

“Shouldn’t it have _wanted_ me to take it to Mercia?” Arthur asked in confusion. “That would’ve been the selfless, heroic thing to do.”

“It’s the _Dragonblade_ , Arthur,” Merlin whispered to him with a chuckle. “A Dragonlord soul was used to forge it.” He gave a languid thrust inside of his prince while reaching and pulling him in closer, bathing his neck in open-mouthed kisses. “Have _any_ of the Dragonlords you’ve _ever_ heard of been heroic? Selfless? Or were they willing to do whatever they had to, no matter how wrong or underhanded, to have what they wanted? _Who_ they wanted?” He sucked marks of claiming on Arthur’s neck. “I know of very few myself, but none of the ancestors I’ve heard about were very nice people, yet like Dragons they hoarded their treasure, their most valuable belongings. It was that greed that, amplified by Excalibur’s magic, caused them to turn against each other and decimate each other, losing them their family, their loved ones, and their kingdom.”

“Your most valuable belonging,” Arthur echoed in a needy tone as he arched his hips into Merlin’s thrusts and tilted his neck to give his master better access. 

“I think, maybe, Excalibur wanted to make sure we would not turn on each other the way my ancestors did.” Merlin licked Arthur’s skin. “It tried to get me to kill you by feeding on your life force to make myself strong enough to face the third trial, to sacrifice you in my stead. It was what made me angry enough to—-angry enough to shift. And then you had the choice of leaving me to be consumed by my darkness, by my emptiness without you, and take the weapon you’d need to win the war. But you chose me.” He still could not believe that.

“Always, _always_ ,” Arthur promised sincerely even though it was most definitely clouded over by lust. 

“ ** _I love you, Arthur_** ,” Merlin groaned in need as he began to move in earnest. “It terrifies me how much I love you.”

“Love me even more,” Arthur ordered immediately. “Love me so much you can’t breathe if I’m not in your line of sight.” He leaned forwards to pepper sloppy kisses against Merlin’s chest. “Love me so much it terrifies _me_.”

“You might regret saying that to me,” Merlin warned as he cupped the back of Arthur’s head, fingers massaging that scalp encouragingly as Arthur sucked marks all over his chest and shoulders.

“No I wo—-!” Arthur bit down on Merlin’s chest when the cock inside of him pulsated. “ _GodsbelowIlovethiscocksomuch!_ ”

More than a little proud of the way his mate was reacting to him, Merlin lowered his grip to Arthur’s asscheeks and used that grip to push down on Arthur to meet his upwards thrusts, burying himself deeper and deeper. With his size he could not exactly pull out, at least not in this position, but he rolled his hips as far back as he could before slamming deeper into that quivering body. “Do you like this, Mate? Do you like the feel of your demon’s cock claiming you so fully?” His ridges hardened but didn’t shift, yet still Arthur seemed to notice it immediately, a choked scream stuck in his throat. “They’re stimulating you, aren’t they, my love? The harder they press into your body the more desperate your cries become.” He slipped a finger against the overly stretched ring of nerves and noted in awe that even while surrounded by the crimson water he could feel the way Arthur’s hole gushed with his own sticky pleasure. “I thought some of my seed was slipping from you but it’s your own desire which drips forth. It’s as if your body is begging for more friction and desperate to facilitate it any way necessary,” he whispered into Arthur’s ear. “Is my mate’s womb hungry for my special kisses?”

“ _Yesssss_ ,” Arthur answered with no shame as he tried to spread his knees further apart only to sob in despair when he couldn’t due to the width of the tub. “Kiss my womb, Master, it’s so lonely and desperate for your attention.”

Merlin rammed himself up, establishing a grueling rhythm as he kissed Arthur and swallowed his screams, but not even his mouth was able to silence Arthur when those ridges grew harder even. Arthur went wild above him, riding him like a bucking stallion, screaming his name, words of love, and threats most foul should Merlin _ever_ deny him _ever_ again. And then Merlin shoved in as deep as he could and those ridges shifted to spike themselves into Arthur seconds before the blonde screamed and spurted his pleasure onto Merlin’s chest, which was immediately followed by Merlin’s own seed surging violently from him to find and claim its  home.

Arthur and Merlin made it out of the tub, _eventually_ , but they didn’t leave the room - or finally start the trip back to Mercia - until late the next morning.

The runes were still on them and Excalibur was still missing, but as Merlin made the trip back riding behind Arthur with his arms around his waist, the two surrounded by the laughing knights while the sorcerer took advantage of his position to spend the time rubbing himself against the cleft of Arthur’s ass teasingly, Merlin honestly wasn’t too worried.


	5. Chapter 5

“No, it just _vanished_ ,” Percival answered the question asked of him as he shook his head. “It was in my hand one minute, but the second Arthur was out of sight - while we were arguing between us which one would take the Dragonblade to Mercia so that the other two could follow after Arthur - it just _disappeared_. 

“I saw it as it happened,” Elyan backed him up immediately with a pensive frown. “The blade seemed to shimmer and transformed from solid steel to living energy. It turned translucent before it was suddenly gone, not invisible, but not actually there anymore. It was unlike any magic I had ever heard of before.”

“There were rumors that only those with Dragonlord blood in them could wield Excalibur, but when Prince Arthur proved able to do so I figured that it was just legend,” Leon admitted as he made up his face. “But clearly there has to be _some_ sort of requisite to using it, one which Prince Arthur met.”

“Or it is just a willful, childish—-,” Arthur begun, apparently still not having forgiven Excalibur for its actions.

From where he rode behind Arthur, arms wrapped around his waist and chin resting on his shoulder, Merlin leaned in to whisper softly in his ear. “ _I love you_.” Ever since he’d finally been able to get the words out, Merlin had found himself saying them more and more, even though even he knew that he was spouting them off incredibly randomly. Still, he felt the desire to say them and couldn’t hold those words back anymore, and even though he continued to catch Arthur off guard every single time he said them, the blonde did not seem to mind it in the least bit. 

Like now, despite the fact that Arthur choked on his words and went red, there was clear pleasure on his face when he it against Merlin’s.

“How do we explain not having the Dragonblade when we arrive in Mercia?” Percival worried from his position at the front of the group. 

“But I believe we _do_ have it,” Merlin admitted finally, feeling a little guilty for the whiplash the men would no doubt have from the way they swung their heads around to face him immediately. “The sword is Arthur’s. I—-.”

“I do not _want_ —,” Arthur started with an annoyed huff.

“—do not think it truly parted from him when he left,” Merlin continued on as if the blonde hadn’t said anything. He trailed his hand down Arthur’s marked arm and raised it for their inspection. “And this is what I’m basing it off of."

“I thought that that was some sort of hands fasting equivalent?” Percival asked in shock, glancing between their arms. 

Arthur might have been red before, but now he was practically scarlet. “You will not have to _guess_ when that happens, Percy. I’ll make you the official flower girl.”

Percival rolled his eyes and yet snickered good-naturedly. 

Instead of chuckling like the others, Elyan was eyeing the designs on their arms shrewdly. “I do not blame Percival for his assumption, with the way those runes are placed on you both they appear to form the lemniscate——”

“ _The infinity symbol_ ,” Merlin explained softly into Arthur’s ear.

“—-symbol when you’re holding each other’s hands,” Elyan continued on, apparently not having noticed Merlin’s soft interruption. “Clearly, even if it is not a hands fasting, it is binding in some other way, showing the ties between the two of you and how you are connected magically with each other, _to_ each other. Considering you were already connected with the Consort magic, I feel as if this is a binding of a different sort. The question really is, of course, _what_ sort of binding it is, but given the knowledge that a Dragonlord is the only one who can wield it—-I believe while the Consort spell bound Arthur to Merlin’s sorcerer side, whatever _this_ is has bound him to his draconic side, which would facilitate Arthur’s use of Excalibur due to him being an extension of _both_ sides of Merlin, and making him, in many ways, the same person in essence.”

While Merlin knew that his draconic magic was being kept isolated, the Lady of the Lake obviously knew more than she’d let on, and he wondered whether her ability to see the truth at him with one glance meant that she could, somehow, _do_ something like that, connecting Arthur to the draconic magic inside of Merlin despite it being trapped within ‘the eggshell’ as his mother had called it. If anyone could do it, Merlin had a feeling she, coupled with Excalibur, could.

“That—I could see that making sense!” Leon exclaimed in amazement.

Arthur’s eyes widened in absolute shock.

Percival sent Arthur an amused look.

Merlin, for his part, now eyed Elyan in growing appreciation. He’d wondered if he’d get a view into what had made Uther knight Elyan despite his lack of nobility, but the young knight was quickly beginning to prove just how sharp his mind truly was.

“I might have not been around when Arthur managed to pull the blade out of the stone,” Elyan forged onwards. “But Percival told us about it in great detail while we were trying to catch up with Arthur. He said that magic rose up visibly and curled its way up Arthur’s arm when he pulled Excalibur free.” He raised an eyebrow. “As in, it curled up his sword arm. As in the arm those runes are now burned into.”

Honestly, Merlin had forgotten about that. He’d put almost everything that had happened that day out of his mind not only because it brought up all the pain and suffering he himself had gone through, but especially the fact that that day he had wounded Arthur unjustly, and it made him despair every time he thought about the great injustice he’d caused his mate to suffer due to his own weakness. But in doing so he’d missed out on this detail, had forgotten it, and was even more appreciative of Elyan’s mind than he had been before.

“There’s also the fact that your runes, at least the ones that you share in common, seem to be linked to _each other_ and not to yourselves,” Elyan mumbled as if that wasn’t that big of a revelation.

“How could you possibly know that?” Percival wanted to know in befuddlement.

Elyan blinked, clearly looking taken aback at the question. “Whenever Merlin tells Arthur he loves him, Arthur reacts very visibly, and only when he does do Merlin’s identical runes glow. They only react whenever Arthur does, never otherwise. Merlin has not noticed a couple of the times Arthur has watched him or clearly been grinning happily at him, but even if Merlin doesn’t know, his runes do, they react immediately. So clearly it isn’t _him_ doing something to Arthur, but his runes betraying Arthur’s happiness or his heightened emotional state or something like that.” He pointed out immediately, as if this was quite obvious. “And similarly, whenever Arthur does something to please him, Merlin’s face might be better at hiding it from anyone who might be watching, but _Arthur’s_ identical runes glow. I’ve seen it happening more than a few times now, so while I think the individual runes only they have on their bodies actually _are_ tied to them, the ones they share between them are links to each other.”

There was silence as the group digested that, and then Arthur broke the silence, clearing his throat as he shifted in his saddle to better face the knight. “So what exactly are you getting at, Elyan?”

“I do not really have a point,” Elyan admitted with a grin. “Just that I agree with Merlin in that I believe _you do_ have the Dragonblade, and that the runes on your arms are proof of it.” He turned to Merlin. “You believe the sword is in energy form, hidden, waiting to be summoned, do you not?”

He did, but not for the very detailed reasons Elyan had given - which were incredibly valid in their own right. “Yes. When I spoke to the Lady of the Lake I told her Arthur would be able to wield the blade as he was my soul,” he ignored the way Arthur froze at that revelation, “and when she did not immediately tell me it was impossible for the blade to be willed to Arthur given that, and the way Arthur said that the blade seemed to have disappeared - corroborated by your own accounts of its energy form - I believe that the blade merely hid itself as it was no longer being wielded by Arthur, who is, for all intents and purposes, _literally_ my other half. He’s the light to my shadow.”

“I see, you could be considered as two sides to the same coin,” Leon declared with widening, clearly fascinated eyes.

“He’s right,” Percival chuckled as he eyed Merlin. “Look at his runes!” 

Merlin looked down, as did everyone else, to see the way the runes he shared with Arthur glowed fiercely. He bit down on his bottom lip to keep from smirking in smug amusement, able to feel Arthur’s embarrassment at having his feelings so very openly visible to all. By the gods, but his mate was wondrous.

“And now _Arthur’s!”_ Percival snickered.

Arthur glanced down rapidly at his own and a little of his embarrassment seemed to die down when he saw the way they glowed just as strongly as the ones on Merlin. 

“I cannot believe you all had not noticed the way they glowed,” Elyan scoffed in disbelief with a shake of his head. “With the frequency those runes light up I don’t know whether to be relieved Arthur has bound himself to someone who is just as obsessed with him as he clearly is, or be absolutely bewildered by the ferocity of their feelings for each other and wonder whether it is just that theirs are unnaturally overwhelming or whether _mine_ have never actually been genuine for _anyone_.” He frowned at that last part, clearly truly worried that that might be the case.

Humbled by Elyan’s words, Merlin slipped his hands around Arthur’s waist once more, yet instead of holding onto him he found his hands rubbing against Arthur’s stomach, more than a little disappointed not to feel the outline of his cock jutting out - which was ridiculous because _clearly_ it would not given the fact that his cock was back to its human form and inside his own pants. It would appear that he’d grown to not only enjoy feeling his demon’s cock buried inside of its mate, but _expected_ to feel that bulge that betrayed his absolute claim over his consort’s body.

It was obvious that Arthur realized what Merlin was imagining, because a shudder raced down his spine as he leaned back harder into Merlin, shifting his hips subtly to press against Merlin’s cock, betraying his corresponding desire to have the hardness pressed against him buried deep inside.

Realizing the others had gone completely silent tore Merlin out of his twisted sexual fantasies as he looked up immediately, finding Elyan, Percival, and Leon all staring at them with dark, disturbed looks. Those looks weren’t disapproving or scandalized, not at all, in fact, it seemed as if Elyan’s words about doubting his own ability to feel for someone the way Merlin and Arthur did for each other had infected the others as well, as three sets of eyes watched the Cambion and his Consort’s reactions to each other, as well as their identically glowing runes, which betrayed even more than their actions did. 

The demon purred in pride at the acknowledgement its relationship with the mate was receiving. It wanted to boast about the superiority of the mate to all others, wanted to show off the precious mate’s eager acceptance of it. Honestly, the demon was just looking for an excuse to fuck the mate while riding the horse. It whispered to Merlin that they really didn’t have to make it too obvious if they thought the mate might mind. Images of them riding a little further behind the others, Merlin’s cock deep inside of the mate (insertion clearly facilitated by Merlin’s magic to keep the mate somewhat elevated off of the saddle), using the horses trots to do all the work, fucking him into that sweet body.

_Not now. We actually_ **_need_ ** _to be concentrating on the Dragonblade._

Clearly unhappy with that, as well as with the instantaneous rejection of the whole saddle-sex idea it had clearly thought pure genius, the demon grumbled and huffed in the beginnings of what was clearly a sulk.

“Arthur.” Merlin cleared his throat, hoping to change the topic before his distracted Consort could notice the attention on them. “Can you do something for me?” 

“ _Oh_ ** _gods_** _yes_ ,” he whispered breathlessly.

Pressing his forehead against the back of Arthur’s head with a groan, Merlin cleared his throat and tried once more. “Let’s get off of the horse. I want you to try something.”

“ _Okay_.” Way too eager for it not to seem suspicious, Arthur pulled on the reigns and dismounted as the others did as well. He slid off of the horse and held the reigns as he turned to wait for Merlin to dismount. “What do you want me to do to— ** _for_** _—_ you?” He was clearly embarrassed at the slip yet still incredibly eager.

Fighting the desire to cover his eyes to try and give himself a chance to recover from the utter adorableness in front of him, Merlin cleared his throat, took the reigns from Arthur and passed them to Leon. Nodding a thanks to the knight, Merlin grabbed Arthur’s hand with his own and led him a little distance from the horses so as not to make them skittish. He then let go of Arthur and stepped back, eyeing him in intrigue, ignoring the other men's curious gazes on them. “Hold your runed arm out at your side and try to summon the Dragonblade.”

Immediately Arthur’s smile slipped from his face and was replaced by a scowl. “It won’t work.”

Surprised at the certainty in those worse, Merlin tilted his head as he eyed the prince. “Have you tried to do this already?”

The moody expression was darkening on that face rather quickly. “Of course not. I was searching for _you_ you idiotic—-.”

“Then _try_.” 

Letting out a frustrated huff, Arthur held his arm out at hip-height and very visibly didn’t put any effort into the action of ‘summoning’.

“When I said _try_ I meant to try and summon the Dragonblade, _not_ try to annoy me with your half-assed attempt,” Merlin explained patiently, smiling innocently at the glare Arthur sent him. “So, _try_.”

Taking in a deep breath, Arthur stared at his hand with visible concentration this time, and yet, like before, nothing happened. “This is impossible.”

“It could be reacting to the fact that he very clearly doesn’t want it to appear,” Elyan announced from where he was watching with the others. “You said this blade is supposed to have a soul attached to it, and along with the fact that it clearly can sense when someone not of the Dragonlord family is wielding it that denotes some level of sentience. So if it feels you don’t really want it, Arthur, it probably won’t ever appear."

Arthur glared at him. “Stop helping, Elyan.”

“No, Elyan’s right,” Merlin countered immediately, ignoring the glare Arthur immediately shifted onto him. “Arthur, you need to _want_ Excalibur to appear.”

“But I _don’t_ want it to,” the blonde snarled stubbornly. “I only just managed to fix the mess it caused the _last_ time it was around. I am not going to risk it doing something _else_ to you. In _seconds_ it made you think I—and it was not even physically _around_ you when it did that! Now it would be!”

“Arthur, I can’t believe I’m saying this, but you have to forgive the Dragonblade,” Merlin sighed, a little thrown by the ridiculousness of that statement. 

“No, I don’t,” Arthur countered immediately.

“It is not a kid who yanked your ponytail, Arthur!” Percy called out from where he stood on the sidelines along with Leon and Elyan. “It’s a magical, mystical sword that can help us win this war.”

“Who says it will?” Arthur was, apparently, going to be stubborn and contrary with _everyone_ on this point. “This _is_ the same sword that caused the downfall of Albion as a united nation, as well as the near extinction of the Dragonlord family. It has _already_ proven its willingness to destroy and tear apart anything it is near.” He shook his head, a muscle jumping in his cheek. “I don’t think it can be trusted to help _save_ anything.”

Merlin hesitated for a second before he narrowed his eyes on Arthur, feeling a little guilty for what he was about to do, but the look of utter determination on Arthur’s face proved that he was not going to be amenable about anything related to the Dragonblade. “Are you _really_ Arthur?”

Immediately Arthur’s face went wide-eyed as he swung his gaze from the trio onto him. “Who else would I bloody be you ridiculous—?!”

“I don’t know, maybe I never actually escaped the third test,” Merlin mumbled darkly as he eyed Arthur up and down suspiciously. “Because the Arthur I know wouldn’t be acting this way, so that can only mean you’re Excalibur. Or the Lady of the Lake. Or whoever else is involved in this quest.”

“I _am_ Arthur.” A muscle jumped in his cheek as anger flashed over his eyes. “I am Arthur Pendragon.”

“But Arthur Pendragon would understand our need for the Dragonblade,” Merlin countered immediately, taking Arthur’s strategy from the day of their reunion to provoke his love into seeing reason. “He would understand that not only does Mercia, _Albion_ , need for him to take up the sword, but that _I_ need him to.”

Arthur’s anger tempered very slightly as his blonde eyebrows nearly touched in a confused frown. “What do you mean?”

“I need _my_ Arthur to take Excalibur, to claim it as his by his right as _my mate_ , flesh of my flesh, heart of my heart,” Merlin replied, making sure to keep his gaze suspicious on Arthur to keep up the charade of doubt. “I need _the real_ Arthur Pendragon to brandish the power of the blade that I cannot, to be by my side, to be my succor, _my_ knight, in battle. The idea of allowing him to fight even with the power of the Dragonlords assisting him is terrifying as is, but _my_ Arthur is smart enough - knows me enough - to know that if he does not wield that sword… _he is not coming with us when we leave for war_.”

Arthur’s eyes widened in absolute horror. “You would not _dare_ —-!”

“Protect my beloved Consort’s life from a battle he would be ill-equipped to survive?” Merlin raised an eyebrow.

The blonde stopped breathing for a second before he hissed angry curses under his breath, no doubt realizing with absolute certainty that Merlin would probably lock him in the dungeons for the entirety of the war if it meant keeping him safe. A battle of raging emotions crossed over his face as Arthur took in a deep breath, stared at his hand, and _tried_. And _tried_. And _tried_. And _tried_.

And yet nothing happened.

Frustration mixed with anger on his face as he grit his teeth, trying once again, clearly willing the sword with all his might.

And yet _nothing_.

He looked up at Merlin with a hint of desperation. “I _am_ trying.”

Merlin could tell, that was why he wrapped his arms around Arthur and pulled him close in a tight hug. “I know.” He rested his chin on the top of Arthur’s head and rubbed his back soothingly. “It might take a while. You _did_ insult it a lot.”

Arthur gripped the front of his shirt tightly.

* * *

Arthur stood with his back to the group, but it was very obvious what he was trying to do as he glared at his rune-covered hand. He’d been there for a few hours now, having said he needed some time to himself, and while Merlin wanted to give him moral support he instead gave him the space he’d requested while watching him from a distance. The blonde was clearly arguing with his rune-covered arm, glaring and snarling at it, which would be amusing if the situation wasn’t so dire.

“Do you really think he can summon the Dragonblade?” 

Tearing his gaze off of Arthur, Merlin turned towards the man who’d come to stand next to him, also watching the young prince. “I think they are currently locked in a battle of wits, of will, of endurance, and despite the fact that the Dragonblade might be a thing of magic and myth, Arthur is the most stubborn, willful, and utterly infuriating person I know.” He returned his gaze to his mate, the corner of his lip twitching in amusement. “Honestly, Excalibur doesn’t stand a chance.”

A chuckle of amusement escaped Percival’s lips at that. “You are probably very right about that. He _does_ seem to get whatever he puts his mind to.”

Sensing the undercurrent of the jovial comment, Merlin chuckled as well and turned to face the large Escetian knight turned Mercian lord. “How are you feeling, Percy?”

The taller, muscly man eyed him curiously before he seemed to understand. “I see. This is about my feelings for Miss Guinevere."

“So you remember that you had them,” Merlin realized, having wondered how exactly the spell would work.

“Yes. I do remember the fact that I did have them, but I don’t remember why, and when I think about her all I feel is…” Percival sighed heavily as he thought about that for a moment. “I suppose I see her how I see Sefa, very pretty, very sweet, but I cannot understand _why_ she was special to me before.” That clearly bothered him, yet he shook his head and smiled wryly. “I think the not understanding is worse than the not feeling it.”

“I truly am sorry for what you had to give up,” Merlin apologized as his gaze shifted over towards where Arthur was shaking his hand at his runed arm reproachfully. Tender regard curved Merlin’s lips before he remembered the topic at hand, cleared his throat, and returned his attention to where Percival was eyeing him with knowing mirth. “You protected our feelings for each other at a detriment to yourself, Percival, I will never forget that. The happiness I feel right now is partly thanks to you and your willing sacrifice.” He reached out and placed his hand on the man’s shoulder. “Should you ever need my help in anything, please let me know, and I will happily assist.”

Percival eyed him curiously before nodding with a smile. “Is it bad that I am entertained at the realization that Arthur will be jealous if we become friends?”

Chuckling at the thought, Merlin shook his head. “Or Lancelot.”

The man blinked in surprise, all amusement slipping from his face. “Do you mean to tell me, Merlin, that you and Lancelot still—-?”

Confusion flittered through Merlin at the very question. “Of **_course_** not.”

“Then why would he be—-?” Percival’s eyes suddenly widened in scandal. “Does he have designs on _Arthur_?”

“I would surely hope not,” Merlin answered immediately. “I would hate to have to kill my one of my most trusted friends.”

The confusion from before clearly returned to Percival’s face. “Then why would he be jealous of your and my friendship?”

Just what kind of game was Percival playing here? “You know why.”

Percival’s confusion grew, and he looked a little intrigued. “I must admit you have me at a total loss, Merlin. What am I supposed to know?”

Merlin just _stared_ at him in utter shock. Was he honestly going to just look him straight in the face and pretend that Merlin had not—-?

“Percival!” Leon called over from the fire. “Can you help me with this please?”

“Sure.” Percy called back before sending Merlin another intrigued look, shook his head, clapped Merlin on his shoulder, and went to assist Leon with whatever he was doing.

Watching him go, Merlin wondered at the burly man’s reaction before he shook his head and returned his attention to Arthur until finally going to drag the blonde back to the camp once night had fallen, citing his need to sleep. They ate with the others and talked for a bit before Merlin and Arthur took the first two shifts of the night, keeping each other company during their respective shifts. They spoke softly so as not to bother the other’s sleep, and while they did not talk about Excalibur or the failure Arthur was currently having in summoning it, the topic was clearly on both of their minds.

As soon as it was Elyan’s time to relieve them, Merlin pulled Arthur back to their shared bedrolls, curled up behind him, and pressed a kiss to his head.

“You will persevere,” Merlin assured him, allowing himself that much of a mention.

“Of course I will,” Arthur whispered back.

Smiling at that, Merlin closed his eyes and fell asleep.

* * *

They traded their tired horses for fresh ones at the next village they came across, and thanks to that they were able to make better time than Merlin had expected, which meant that they’d be able to arrive in Mercia sooner than he’d hoped, especially given the delay his days walking had added to the trip. At least they still had time to give Arthur to keep practicing. The night before a faint flicker of gold had appeared in his hand, a faint outline of Excalibur, and while it hadn’t materialized it had been enough to prove to them that their theory was correct, Arthur _could_ call for Excalibur, or he _would_ be able to, in time.

_Mordred_? Merlin reached out, checking for the druid through their open yet dormant connection. _I just wanted to let you know that we are heading back, we are close, a couple of days at the most._

**_Hello Emrys._** A quick smile. Excitement. Relief. **_Are you all well?_**

_Yes. I will explain things to you, Morgana, and Lancelot in greater detail once we return._ Merlin wanted to talk to them, to confirm the success, once Arthur was able to actually fully summon Excalibur, otherwise he’d just worry them, so he stalled that conversation a little longer. _How are things within the castle? The last time we talked you said they were tense._

Smile slipping. Hesitation. Guilt.

His eyes narrowed. _What is it, Mordred?_

**_I’m not supposed to tell you._** Scratching his eyebrow in a clear sign of stress. **_Lancelot said he’d stick me in the dungeons for two whole weeks if he found out I told you_**.

Merlin frowned. _What happened to Lancelot?_

**_Nothing. Other than stress I guess… Emrys, someone helped Joffrey escape from the dungeons a few nights ago_**. A sigh, his loyalty towards Merlin winning out over the threat from Lancelot. **_He’s no where to be found. Lancelot believes he had an accomplice still in the castle, and since no one else has disappeared that means the person is still amongst us._**

Merlin’s eyes narrowed as he stiffened. _WHAT? Why would Lancelot try to keep that sort of information from me?_

**_He said that if you knew you’d come back before being able to get the sword, and that that would not help our cause, nor would getting yourself killed because you did something reckless due to wanting to get the mission over quicker in order to get back to us in case there is another attack_. _There’s only so long all of your cover stories will be able to hold without causing suspicion._**

He could clearly see Lancelot doing that, and it made him groan in disbelief at the loyalty in that idiot.

“You okay back there?” Arthur asked curiously, no doubt having heard that groan. “You are not getting motion sickness or anything, are you?”

“Mordred just let me know that someone helped Joffrey escape.” Merlin rested his forehead against Arthur’s stiffened shoulder. “Lancelot didn’t want him to tell me because, since no one else has disappeared from the castle, it means that whoever helped Joffrey is still there doing only the gods know what. He didn’t want us being distracted, or worse, not completing the crusade out of worry.”

Elyan, Leon and Percival, all on their own horses, turned to look at him with identical looks of concern on their faces.

“Ask him how none of the other prisoners in the dungeons were able to see who saved Joffrey,” Arthur surprised him by ordering. “The dungeons were all full, there is no way that _someone_ did not see.”

“I think I have a very good idea why there were no witnesses,” Merlin mumbled yet asked the question nonetheless. _Were there no witnesses in the dungeons? The cells are full with Valiant and his people._

There was embarrassment. **_Emrys, it’s getting closer to the dark moon. Everyone in those cells were too, uh, preoccupied, to notice. To be quite honest, there are so many men in such confined spaces that, well, I am sure some relationships will never be repairable once the dark moon’s effects finally end._**

He groaned. That was just as he’d thought. “They were all too busy rutting each other due to the effects of the upcoming dark moon to notice anything. It happens around this time, especially if the men are caged up with no other way to work off their aggressions such as their usual physical activity in the court, the training ground, and small fights in their every day life. We call it, amongst other less savory names, the Lunacy.”

Arthur tried his best to peer over his shoulder at him. “Merlin, what exactly _happens_ in Mercia on the dark moon if this is what it is like for your people when it is still not exactly _very close_ to occurring?”

**_The only good thing I can see about this is the fact that Valiant’s supporters have to no_ ** **_doubt_ ** **_be losing some of their fervent support for him given the fact that he’s one of the worse of the Lunatics._ **

Thank the gods for little favors.

“I have heard rumors,” Leon mumbled in response to Arthur’s question. “They say there is a magically enforced lock down issued in the castle, that every single person who have undergone the dark rituals are sequestered inside and not allowed to come into contact with anyone outside of the castle’s walls until the worse of the effects of the Dark Moon pass.”

“There’s also to consider the fact that female presences are disappearing in the castle, being replaced by male,” Elyan muttered, proving once more that he noticed details others might not. “That, coupled with the bottles of salve that have begun appearing all over the castle, help me draw up conclusions as to _what_ exactly happens during the period the ‘Lunacy’ takes over.”

**_Of course, there’s the fact that they all carry the darkness and cannot drain each other of it, merely add more, to be worried about._ **

_It’s a good thing we sent the Consorts and lovers and pets to separate holdings cells for this very reason. They’ll be safer on that side._ Merlin made a face. _How are the Swain holding up given everything?_

A snort. **_As if Owain would suffer anyone to get out of line, Swain OR otherwise._**

His lips twitched. At least there was _some_ good news. _We’ll be back soon, Mordred. Let Lancelot and Morgana know that they only have to hold things together just a little longer._

**_They will be relieved to hear that, especially Morgana. She had to send Gwen away to stay with the Swain for her own safety given how things are becoming at the castle, and she’s been very crabby to handle, especially since Gwen is very angry with her for having been sent away, even if it was to protect her._** A sigh. **_Come back soon, and be safe, Emrys._**

_You too, Mordred._

The connection ended, and Merlin looked up at Elyan. “Morgana sent Guinevere to stay with the other women who are assisting Owain with the Swain.”

“Will she be safe there? The Swain _are_ still males,” Leon mumbled.

Elyan snorted, as if he thought the very question ridiculous. “I do not worry about _the Swain_ , it is clear that the girls are at their safest with those boys.”

Percival nodded his agreement to that before sighing. “At least we are almost back home and will be able to get to the bottom of what is going on.”

Arthur raised his rune covered arm to stare at it with a little growl.

Pressing an encouraging kiss to Arthur’s neck, Merlin wrapped his arms around his prince.

The rest of the day’s journey was made in relative silence, everyone no doubt thinking about the new troubles that lay ahead of them in the Mercian Court.

* * *

“Listen here you stubborn piece of metal,” Arthur could be heard growling as he glared at his arm. “You might have a soul, but you’re not a person anymore and you are going to listen to me. I don’t like you, and I know you don’t like me, but people are counting on us and I am _not_ going to be stuck in the damned dungeons because you’re _petty_. So just stop acting like a scorned lover and just _appear_ already!”

Despite Arthur’s request to be left alone, Merlin found himself finally ignoring it and slipping his arms around Arthur from behind.

The blonde jumped with a squeak. “Mer—-?”

“Keep going, don’t mind me,” Merlin murmured into his neck even as his hands began deftly undoing the straps of the blonde’s breeches. He’d been missing his lover these past few evenings and while he commended Arthur’s dedication to doing what Merlin had asked of him, Merlin craved his boy’s company, his touch, his taste.

Clearing his throat, Arthur raised his arm and visibly tried to concentrate, but was also very visibly failing. “Maybe I could call it quits for tonight.”

“Don’t be silly, continue,” Merlin ordered even as he reached into Arthur’s breeches, and in full sight of their campsite, took the boy in hand. “Just forget that I’m here.” His fingers curled around that quickly hardening cock, stroking it languidly, just enjoying the feel of his flesh. The lively chatter from the campsite proved that the others had yet to notice what he doing, but should they merely glance over into the darkening shadows of the night they’d no doubt plainly see what Merlin was putting the prince through.

“But I can’t just forget—-,” Arthur groaned as Merlin’s hand worked over him teasingly, knowing exactly how to grasp, how to stroke, how to twist, to have the boy hard and dripping in what must be embarrassingly quick time for him. 

“Figure this out quickly, Arthur,” Merlin ordered as he bit softly into Arthur’s neck. “I want to fuck you so badly but I am trying to be a considerate lover and give you all the time you need to get this to work.” He rocked his hips into Arthur’s ass. “But there’s only so long I can be expected to wait.”

“Don’t wait, just take me,” Arthur whimpered.

“And completely distract you? I am not _that_ evil,” Merlin tutted, changing the hand he held the prince’s quivering root with so he could use the other to caress Arthur’s rune-covered arm. “So even though I want nothing more than to slip deep inside of your ass and fuck you so hard, so long, that you won’t be able to sit comfortably on the saddle tomorrow, I am going to be a nice lover and settle for touching my mate’s cock.” 

“But I want—.”

“ _Shhhhhh_ ,” Merlin whispered into his ear. “Just enjoy my touches, mate. That is all you will get tonight.”

A frustrated huff escaped his lips. “Surely, my beloved demon is not in agreement with that.”

The demon huffed with just as much frustration, assuring the mate that, no, it was _not_ in agreement but just as helpless as him to do anything about it.

“Your _beloved demon_ has been spending the last couple of days trying to convince me to push you face down in the saddle and spear myself inside of you, letting the horse’s gait rock me into your body all day,” Merlin revealed, feeling the way Arthur hardened like stone in his hand immediately. 

“C-could that—could that _work_?” Arthur ’s voice was suddenly incredibly hoarse as he pushed back against the cock hard between the cleft of his cheeks. 

“If I put my mind to it, little prince, _anything_ can work,” Merlin promised him darkly as he began to rub his cock up and down that tight cleft. “Do you want me to do that to you, Arthur? Do you want the spend the whole day like that?” He nibbled Arthur’s ear, lettings own dark imaginings take over. “Maybe I’ll wait until everyone else is used to the sobs and the groans you let out to change my form inside of you. They’ll never know the monstrous cock that’s spearing you, or the barbs digging deep into you to keep you in place like a good little bitch in heat. With each gait they’ll be forced to dig in deeper to make sure you’re exactly where you belong and don’t slip free.” The cock in his hand was trembling, gushing, coating Merlin’s hand with the betrayal of how much Arthur was enjoying the imagery. “I’ll _hook_ you, boy, hook you so deep insideof your body you’ll spend the whole day being unable to do anything but lay there and take all the kisses, all the seed, my demon cock has to offer.” 

“Can you c-control them n-now?” Arthur whimpered breathlessly, his voice breaking in his excitement. “Can you hook me w-whenever now?”

“Arthur, do you find the idea of being hooked by the barbs more exciting than getting fucked by the ridges?” He wondered in dark curiosity, not sure how exactly to feel about thatbut definitely not annoyed since they were both things only he could give the blonde.

“I don’t know,” Arthur grunted as he rubbed himself harder back against Merlin. “Maybe you should remind me of the difference.”

“Maybe I should,” Merlin groaned into Arthur’s ear. “Maybe I should grab fistfuls of your hair and drag you back to the camp, throw you down on our bedroll, and show your knights how their king will be spending his years ruling once he gets his kingdom back.” He saw the glow of his runes reacting to Arthur seconds before the boy came desperately into his hand, and it was in looking over at his own runes that he noticed it. “Arthur?”

“Yes, _yes_ ,” Arthur gulped hoarsely, still coming down from his high. “Grab me, drag me, anything! Just—-!”

“ _Arthur_.” Merlin chuckled into his ear. “Look at your hand.”

The blonde let out a displeased sound but then clearly did as he was told because he froze. There, in his hand, was Excalibur.

* * *

 “You are doing much better, Son of the Dragon,” a familiar voice declared softly from his right, obviously mindful of the sleeping bodies around them. “Excalibur is still very much in a sulk, but clearly you are making leeway.”

Arthur looked up from where he’d managed to get Excalibur to appear for the first time without Merlin being conscious, his lover snoring on his bedroll while the blonde sat watch.Merlin had tried staying up with him, but had fallen asleep with his arm wrapped proprietarily around Arthur’s waist and his face buried in his hip. “Lady of the Lake… once more without a lake.” He didn’t really know what to think about the redhead, but he knew he owed her quite a lot. If it hadn’t been for her explaining why Merlin had pushed him away - as well as other things he knew Merlin would never wish to tell him - Arthur doubted their reunion would have gone as successfully as it had. “Maybe you should change your name to Lady of Random Places.”

She pouted, clearly unhappy with his comment. “I _have_ a lake, you know. It is a valid title. It’s not _my_ fault you lot are hardly ever near actual bodies of water whenever I want to pop in for a little visit.” Her pout disappeared though when she noticed Merlin and instead turned into a grin. “I see you were able to reclaim your Dragon Lord. I applaud you for that, I genuinely doubted you would be able to given all of the sordid circumstances acting as obstacles.”

“It was thanks to you that I knew what I needed to be able to do so,” he admitted despite not liking the fact that this might mean he owed her. “So, thank you.”

She waved it off as inconsequential. “As I said, the blade and the soul it is tied to are mine to protect, I am just glad that it all worked out so neatly in the end for the both of you. Very few things usually do.” She flicked a red lock of hair behind her shoulder and reached out to press her hand against Merlin’s forehead with a frown. “It’s still up.”

“The block around his draconic magic?” Arthur asked immediately, guessing what she might be referring to.

The redhead nodded. “I was able to puncture some - holes - I suppose you could say, into the block once the Dragon Lord made it clear he’d willed the blade to his soulmate. I had hoped that it would start some sort of shattering, or that it would allow some of his draconic essence to slip through, but while I’ve been able to establish a connection between you and it, that block is keeping every bit of the dragon inside.” She frowned darkly. “It is _not_ happy.”

“How do we get rid of the egg? Shatter it?” Arthur wanted to know. He hadn’t been just talking when he’d told Merlin he’d love the dragon as well, and if there was a way to get that last part of Merlin free he’d do anything to help. 

“The thing is, I’m wary to do anything as of yet, especially with the issues you are already facing at the moment,” the Lady of the Lake admitted. “His godfather was truly powerful for it to still be up and this strong despite everything. I feel it might make more sense for you to concentrate on winning your war, and once that is done, more could be looked into helping the Dragon Lord get his roar.”

“And you will help when the time comes?” Arthur stared at her fixedly.

She rolled her eyes at him. “The sword and the soul that binds it are mine to protect. How many times do I have to say that?” The redhead stood and stared down at Arthur and Merlin as she clearly contemplated something before sighing and clearing her throat. “Son of the Dragon, even though you and Excalibur might still be at odds with each other somewhat, know that whenever you are in need, whether it be strength, protection, foresight… _clarity_ … it will be your greatest succor.”

“Why do I feel like you’re warning me about something?” Arthur asked her very suspiciously.

“Because I am.” And with that, she disappeared.

* * *

_Mordred, we’ll be in Mercia tomorrow_ , _we should be at the castle the day after tomorrow_ , Merlin informed him. _How is Morgana?_

**_Being an absolute pain._** A frustrated groan. **_Gwen still hasn’t forgiven her for sending her away, and that is that she doesn’t know about Joffrey escaping, we’ve managed to keep that hushed._** **_Although, considering I am now my sister’s ‘Maid in Waiting’ in Gwen’s place I should truly be the unforgiving one._**

He snickered. _Good luck_.

**_Thank you, I will need it. See you the day after tomorrow._ **

* * *

“I think Excalibur has a crush on you,” Arthur mumbled sulkily as they drew closer to Mercia’s border. While he was still unable to successfully summon Excalibur every single time he tried to, the boy was slowly seeming to get a hang of how he was supposed to do it, because five times out of seven he managed to do so. It was still something he practiced constantly though.

Merlin nearly choked on his saliva when he heard that. “You think the Dragonblade - a sword - has a crush on me?”

“A sword with a _soul_ ,” Arthur reminded. 

Lips curling at the possessive tone in that voice, Merlin began undoing the strings holding Arthur’s pants open again, reaching in to stroke him. “I guess I’ll have to show it who I belong to then, won’t I?”

* * *

Even if he had not known the borders, Merlin would’ve known exactly once they entered Mercia. Not only had it been his home for all of his life, but once they reached the first home, a tiny farmhouse, they were greeted by the site of an elderly farmer thrusting happily into one of his farmhands. The farmhand was groaning in need as the elderly man rutted into him, keeping him pinned against the pig pen. When the farmer raised his hand to tilt his hat at the returning group in welcome, the farmhand reached for that hand and returned it to his cock, which made the man grin and fuck into him deeper.

“Home sweet home,” Merlin chuckled as he glanced behind him at the open display of carnality as they rode passed.

“I don’t mind the sight,” Arthur mumbled to himself. “But couldn’t he have done it _anywhere_ but against the pig pen? That’s—-.”

Merlin leaned in closer to whisper into his ear. “So you would refuse me if I wanted to take you against one?”

Arthur opened and closed his mouth before clearing his throat. “Why? Is there another one coming up?”

“I’ll let you know if I see one,” Merlin chuckled and kissed Arthur’s cheek.

“I thought the dark moon only affected those who had taken part of the dark rituals?” Leon peered behind him at the farmer and his farmhand until the trees and shrubbery removed the farmhouse from view.

Percival raised an eyebrow. “No, the dark moon affects everyone with dark magic inside of them. Not everyone who have dark magic inside of them have gone through the dark rituals performed in the Mercian Court.” He snickered. “Plus, I doubt that that farmer has any dark magic in him, he’s just used to taking advantage of the solitude he gets due to the remote location of his farm.”

“I agree,” Elyan declared at Leon’s surprised look. “When he reached up to raise his hat at us Isaw his hands, they were calloused from physical work. He has no magic.”

Leon blinked in utter shock, as he did when they stumbled upon more and more farmers using the isolation of their respective farms to enjoy themselves. 

**_Emrys._** Mordred sounded confused in his mind. **_Owain asked me to tell you that the rooster is laying an egg. That makes no sense to me so I am assuming it is code for something else._**

Merlin’s mirth slipped from his face. _Thank you, Mordred_.

It _was_ code, one he and Owain had agreed upon before his crusade.

If Owain had asked Mordred to send him this message it meant that Owain either knew who had killed Malcolm, or _why_.

* * *

**_EMRYS!_ **

Merlin gasped as he shot up in his shared bedroll, disoriented by the screaming in his head, still stuck between sleep and wakefulness. _Mordred?_

Arthur groaned and rolled over to look at him blearily through sleep-filled eyes, which he rubbed as he yawned. “Merlin? What is it?”

“Mordred,” Merlin answered, able to feel the terror, his eyes widening in horror. “Something’s wrong.”

In seconds Arthur’s eyes widened as he reached for a piece of firewood and tossed it towards Percival, hitting him in the stomach and waking the large, burly man up immediately with snorts and groans.

_Mordred? Mordred! What’s wrong?_ Merlin tried to make sense of the terror, the fear, the sadness, the sick dread. _MORDRED!! If I don’t know what’s wrong I won’t be able to help! Tell me what you need!_ He got up and began to pace, fear clutching at his chest, rolling nauseatingly in his stomach. He wasn’t able to get any words from Mordred, but the feelings he _was_ able to sense through their link filled him with ever-growing terror. There was very little that scared Mordred, but the druid was paralyzed with fear.

“What _is_ it? What is happening?” Arthur pressed as he reached for his sword and stood to his feet, heading to Merlin’s side as Percival took charge and went to awaken the others. 

“I don’t know, something’s—.” Merlin pressed his hands to his forehead, trying to bite back his own terror. _MORDRED!_ He felt warmth around his hand, and looked down to find Arthur’s hand in his, squeezing him, clearly trying to keep him calm, keep him from descending into panic, as he was so very close to. Merlin squeezed Arthur’s hand so tightly he was afraid he would break it, but he desperately needed the strength, the calm, Arthur was providing him. _Mordred. Mordred! TALK to me. What is happening?_

**_Don’t come back, Emrys!_** Mordred’s words filled him with more terror than any other could. **_It’s a trap! Don’t come back!_**

And then the connection was severed by a vicious force, and the last thing Merlin felt through the link was Mordred in agony.

Merlin turned to look at Arthur in horror. “I have to go. Something horrible is happening.”

Arthur squeezed his hand tighter. “Calm down and tell us what Mordred told you.”

“He couldn’t say much before our communication was severed.” Merlin leaned down to press his forehead against Arthur’s. “He told me not to come back, that it was a trap.” He squeezed Arthur’s hand. “But I can’t—.”

“ _I know_ ,” Arthur whispered fiercely back at him. “We won’t.”

“Arthur, I don’t know what we’ll find in there,” he whispered desperately. “If something happens to you—-.”

“Have a bit more faith in me, idiot sorcerer,” Arthur whispered.

“And we are coming as well,” Elyan declared, his voice brokering no argument in this point, then again, he _did_ have his sister in the Mercian Court.

Merlin shifted his forehead slightly to look at the other men, who were not only fully dressed, but had their weapons in their hands, ready. He closed his eyes and shifted to press a kiss to Arthur’s forehead before he nodded and took in a deep breath. “If I transport our group there I'll be much weaker once we arrive. Everyone will be on their own.”

“We understand,” Percival assured him as he slammed his fist into his palm and cracked his knuckles. “We know what we’re risking.”

“We’re more than willing to face whatever awaits us in the castle,” Leon agreed, exchanging a solemn expression with Elyan. “We all have loved ones there.”

Taking in a deep breath, Merlin tightened his grip on Arthur’s hand while staring at the resolute faces around the campfire. They would go, no matter what awaited them at the Mercian Court.

Merlin turned his worried gaze on Arthur to peer into his beloved's blue eyes so that they were the only thing he saw as he raised his hand, took in a deep, fortifying breath, and then snapped his fingers.


End file.
